Tobacco tax on the increase.

[FlangMasterJ]

Smokers wont get sucked in by this little attempt to drag more money out of them.

I see what you did there.

[rainman]

is it legal to grow tobacco for your own consumption?

Not sure but I think so. It's apparently illegal to sell seeds or plants though (but you can give them away). I'm trying to grow some because apparently slugs and snails eat the leaves and die pretty much immediately - a salutary warning to those daft buggers that might think it's a good idea to dry 'em, light 'em afire, and inhale the smoke - and I'm very non-buddhist when it comes to slugs, snails, and my brassicas. And I'm lazy: if putting some leaves down saves me heading out to the garden every night with a torch and my squashing boots, excellent. One good use for tobacco!

Actually two: I understand bees quite like the flowers.

Just cant understand how they continually have such a lead in the polls.

'Cos people are stoopid.

because there's still no other viable alternative party to vote for...

Yeah and that too.

[onearmedbandit]

Hmmm, I wonder if I can get Lucky Strike to pay me for advertising their product on my bike. I'd accept cartons in lieu of cash.

[Tony.OK]

But they aren't funding it. There is a shortfall. But that's not the worst bit, the worst bit is they are also hurting their family, children, friends, work colleagues, and those around them. That's the bit that is not acceptable. Period.

Agree'd that smokers should be much more aware of where and when nowadays, its common sense type stuff. And also think laws could be changed to ban people from smoking in cars with kids etc.

But this at the end of the day is just a revenue collecting excercise......nothing more nothing less.

Sorry but after seeing the fudged figures re biker levies I just can't believe any figures given out by any gubbermunt.

I don't smoke inside, or around non smokers......if they choose to come sit next to me outside then thats their choice..............don't go stereotyping just because the media says so.

If the problem was really big enough they would ban smoking would they not? Nah...too much easy money to be had......same as alcohol and fuel.

[Milts]

If the problem was really big enough they would ban smoking would they not? Nah...too much easy money to be had......same as alcohol and fuel.

There is no way that this is the reason it hasn't been banned. Imagine if a political party suddenly said they were going to permanently ban all alcohol, or all cigarrettes. How long do you think they'd stay in power? In all seriousness? Even if the party recovered and made a comeback, it would be unlikely to happen during the political careers of those who banned said substance.

People who think the government are refusing to ban substances like this due to the tax they receive are deluding themselves. It's much simpler - political survival.

[Tony.OK]

There is no way that this is the reason it hasn't been banned. Imagine if a political party suddenly said they were going to permanently ban all alcohol, or all cigarrettes. How long do you think they'd stay in power? In all seriousness? Even if the party recovered and made a comeback, it would be unlikely to happen during the political careers of those who banned said substance.

People who think the government are refusing to ban substances like this due to the tax they receive are deluding themselves. It's much simpler - political survival.

Exactly.................so they put prices up knowing that people will still buy them..............easy money, then spout some bullshit about this n that.

[Mudfart]

i just read the article. rollies are going up 24%, then 10% for the next two years, thats 44%!. fark i hope the missus stops smoking, but she wont, she will only leech more money out of the family food bill. a packet of 30g is what 20$? so its going up to about 28$?!. shit thats gonna be another 16$ at least, per f/n.

[robertvi]

Tragic as well I am sure we are all aware of stories of over indulgence in alcohol killing people on a regular basis,in most violent and unpleasant ways. I have yet to hear of a single incident where someone had too many cigarettes and then beat up their partner/kids/strangers etc....

well a few weeks ago a young guy (Maori as it happened) threated to assault me after I politely declined to give him cigarettes (or money for them) in the street. nicotine, although it does not induce aggressive behaviour in the same way alcohol does, is a highly addictive drug, and someone craving it (rather than intoxicated by it as with alcohol) can certainly be more irritable than normal - in a way that is absent with cannabis for example. the goverment should have the balls to move towards restricting its availability (i think a total ban would not work, much as prohibition failed with alcohol, or is failing with pretty much any other 'illicit' drug)


Monty Python on taxation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTfdn5x7td8

(how do I embed a vid properly?!)

[p.dath]

If the problem was really big enough they would ban smoking would they not? Nah...too much easy money to be had......same as alcohol and fuel.

If the Government banned smoking it would free up cash in the long term, not reduce it. Remember, smokers cost more than they contribute.

This is not revenue collecting, this is reclaiming costs.

[mashman]

If the Government banned smoking it would free up cash in the long term, not reduce it.

And you're 100% sure of that FACT p.d? Health problems couldn't be related to us breathing in exhaust fumes or anything like that? Wonder why they took lead out of petrol and how long ago that was??? I think the anti-smokers love their culprit... why bother looking anywhere else... it's not as if we breath for a living...

[imdying]

Easy to fix without pissing off the existing voters... 20+ can smoke this year, 21+ next year, 22+ the following year, till they all either quit, or die out.

[spajohn]

It's nearly A$20 a pack in Australia!

A mate recently gave up over there, the reason being he figured out how much a year he spent on them.

[p.dath]

And you're 100% sure of that FACT p.d? Health problems couldn't be related to us breathing in exhaust fumes or anything like that? Wonder why they took lead out of petrol and how long ago that was??? I think the anti-smokers love their culprit... why bother looking anywhere else... it's not as if we breath for a living...

I don't think anyone denies that smoking is bad for you. Did you see the head of American Tabaco for NZ at the select commitee (it was on TV)? He got asked, and said smoking was dangerous, and he had personally given up smoking. And this is from their top man in NZ.

So if the guys selling it wont use their own product, what can you say?

Smoking is a huge drain. Imagine if all the money spent on smoking was re-directed into other areas of the NZ economy, not to mention the huge long term savings in health care.

Smoking has to go.

[Milts]

Easy to fix without pissing off the existing voters... 20+ can smoke this year, 21+ next year, 22+ the following year, till they all either quit, or die out.

This idea is genius. Maybe you should suggest it?

Yet another point to all those saying that this is purely revenue gathering. If noone bought cigarettes, then that money would be spent (and taxed) elsewhere. Hence the drop in revenue would not be the full amount gained from the sale of tobacco. If you combine this with the already outbalanced healthcare costs then the country would be significantly better off economically.

[neels]

Is this just another case of using statistics to prove the case you are pushing?

Much like ACC spouting the cost of motorcycle accidents, even those where the motorcyclist is not at fault, how many of these 'smoking related' costs are people that tick the smoker box on the form and therefore their stroke/heart attack/brain cancer are attributed to them being a smoker. And where is the contribution to the health system from those people rude enough to have strokes/heart attacks/lung cancer when they haven't even had the decency to pay tax on tobacco to pay for their healthcare.

Really, smokers should be congratulated, they are paying for the health system in their general taxes, and also specifically in tobacco tax. If you add that up they are probably more than covering the cost of their healthcare and probably subsidising other peoples as well.