want people to stop smoking? this must be one of the biggest incomes for the government. if they get £2.00 from every packet and 1,000,000 stop smoking at one packet a day, you do the sums! i dont know how much the goverment do get from a packet in tax, but do they really want people to stop smoking?
2006-11-17 00:47:51 · 10 answers · asked by nic123 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Yes, because all the smoking related illnesses drain the NHS.
2006-11-17 00:54:19 · answer #1 · answered by Stannnn 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Government are heading for a problem on revenue on both tobacco and alcohol when the EEC rules on the 23/11/06.
People will be able to purchase from any EEC Country at their prices. i.e Latvia - 200 Marlborough just over £7.00.
It is estimated that the cost to the NHS in treating smoking related illness is £1.5 billion, revenue from tobacco sales is £8. billion. Do your own sums.
In the future, everybody will have to pay extra tax to make up the shortfall, and this includes the "non smokers" and the "non drinkers" (bless them all)
We have subsidised these moaning bastards for far too long. Now lets see them squirm when they have to pay their share!!!!!
2006-11-17 03:01:15 · answer #2 · answered by researcher 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The government has a a budget of billions - about a fifth of most people's earnings goes straight into tax, so the revenue raised by cigarette taxes is comparitively small.
That said, if everyone stopped smoking, heart and lung disease and cancer rates would fall massively, and in a country where the taxes pay for healthcare, this would save us a HUGE amount of money in the long run!
2006-11-17 00:57:26 · answer #3 · answered by btomkins88 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course they don't want people to stop, the costs from treating smoking related illnesses is far, far, far outweighed by the tax which is generated.
It's the same as them wanting us to use our cars less, where will the shortfall in tax be recouped from?
Not to worry though I'm sure any government, especially the present incumbent, will be able to figure out additional taxation methods without too much bother.
2006-11-17 00:57:34 · answer #4 · answered by RRM 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From the taxpayers of course! This government has never been slow in coming forward to take more from us the so called
working mans government. We are the most highly taxed country in thr western world!
2006-11-17 01:08:06 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are right in short-term accounting; however, if the costs of cancer care and hospices are considered, I would think it would be cost-effective within a decade.
Interestingly, a spokesman from Scotland calculated the effect of the smoking ban in all public places they have has already produced lower lung cancer numbers....
2006-11-17 02:15:02 · answer #6 · answered by Elsa 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
TAX is government's biggest concern. The doctors tell yu to quit, but I never heard it from a politician.
2006-11-17 00:54:22 · answer #7 · answered by PATRICIA MS 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Don't know but looking at it like that i'm definatly stopping smoking if me purchasing them is going to line the pockets of criminals
2006-11-17 03:32:58 · answer #8 · answered by . 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't want anyone to be forced to quit but the revenue argument above has been shot down time and time again. Read this link.
2006-11-17 00:55:14 · answer #9 · answered by mickyrisk 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes, because it cost a lot more to treat lung cancer and other smoking related diseases.
Scans cost hundreds of pounds each, operations cost thousands of pounds a time. they save themselves money in the long run.
2006-11-17 00:55:09 · answer #10 · answered by Heather 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋