Calls to raise smokes to $100 a pack

Posted on 22-05-2012 15:31 | By earlybird

Boy am I glad I gave up smoking 25 years ago.

Posted on 21-05-2012 22:43 | By PLONKER

Only suckers need smokes, without the rest fo the people harding-working tax then not enough to pay all the smokers bills. Anyway smokers can’t work and be suckers at the same time, so guess which one they choose, sucking!

Posted on 10-05-2012 14:31 | By Dapper Papper

Current tobacco excise revenue is approximately $1 billion a year (from NZ Medical Association report on Tobacco Taxation in NZ). The MOH website indicates that the cost to the Health System of smoking is $250 million. Obviously there are intangible costs, but the reality is NZ needs the tax. If it doesn’t come from smokers it will come from petrol, alcohol or an increase in GST - maybe all three.

Posted on 07-05-2012 23:43 | By COCONUTMILK

Increasing the cost for a packet of cigarettes to $100.00 is a fantastic idea. The opposition to this article is similar to when the idea to ban smoking in public indoor spaces like work, pubs and clubs was touted. Now everyone is better off for the change and it even set a new trend "smirting". Just imagine what a ban on smoking will do to the wallet and health of all kiwis. "Banking"on it!

Posted on 03-05-2012 09:27 | By The Tomahawk Kid

Its not about health anyway - this is all about VOTES! If it was about health nanny would ban them altogether - along with alcohol, but its not - its about VOTES. If smokers were not forced to pay for the die-while-you-wait health system this would not be an issue. People should have the right to live their lives and do with their own bodies whatever they like so long as they do not use force or fraud upon others - that includes killing themselves slowly by smoking cigarettes if thats what they chose. If the population were encouraged to be responsible for their own health, lives and actions instead of having their bottoms wiped by nanny state and making everyone responsible for everybody elses health - this wouldnt be an issue. This is all a product of Big Government - nanny statism. What would all those busybodies do if they didnt have smokers to worry about? Chocolate, High Heel Shoes, Sugar! Save us from the busybodies I say - the scourge of the planet.

Posted on 29-04-2012 16:09 | By kapa

Smoking is the scourge of the earth, it not only kills smokers, but their families and people around them. They should smell themselves, yuk!! They are mostly selfish about it too. Yes, there are other things that could be improved such as eating habits and alcohol comsumption, and I agree that it’s good not to have so many cars on the raods these days. Buses are a good option but bring back passenger trai ns I say too, NZ is the only country in the world who cut instead of increasing services. There are so many things that need improving, but let’s start with smoking, there is a lot of help out there, it just takes guts to do it. Yes, I am an ex smoker though not a heavy or regular one, and my husband smoked 60 a day. He rang Quitline and got the patches, and he stuck to it and beat it. ASnyone who would buy smokes instead of feeding their kids are pathetic and cold, seriously, what parent who cares about their children would do that? If it causes crime, again, they were criminals anyway.

Posted on 28-04-2012 15:23 | By hammered

Does anyone remember Dr Seuss’ tail about the star bellies? Thoses who were better than others because they had a star on there belly. Does anyone remember single pregnant mothers in the 50’s? When housewifes were considered nuerotic for being isolated due to expectations of making a home, and yes when we used our vehicles like we would have petrol for eternity. I have attended many lectures where I have been informed that if alcohol was introduced to society today that it would be classified as a class B drug. Thats a step higher than cannabis. But society seems to think its ok if you don’t drive after you have drunken it. There can be severe health repercussions from alcohol use, as there can be from smoking. I wonder where the health systerm would be if there was a cessation in tax collection from tobbaco sales. Information is readily available that indicates the death rates for smokers are calculated on the basis of those that die and are smokers, nothing to do with the cause of death. The higher the states the more tax can be charged. Without tabacco taxes the government would have to dig deep to bring health funding up to the current level. In 2008 (latest stats available) 1680 people died from lung cancer. Yes it is true people die from smoking related illness, but at the end of the day we all die of the same thing, our heart stops beating. Beware the propoganda!

Posted on 26-04-2012 22:16 | By The Tomahawk Kid

Ha ha - a mindless idea by the mindless ones! Better double the police force, and put armed guards outside every dairy and petrol station if only these do gooders would mind their own business and let others mind theirs. Get rid of the die while you wait health system. Let people be responsible for their own healthcare. Smokers would have to pay higher premiums, and this would be a better deterrent

Posted on 26-04-2012 20:28 | By Garret

$100 for a pack of ciggies? Why not $50 for a Beer too. Why not ban all alcohol and cigarettes totally from NZ? The ONLY way to stop smokers (and I’m one) is to have free clinics where we can go and have professional help, staying there for however long it takes, until the habit and cravings are gone. C’mon, let’s face it, no matter what the price, people will smoke and drink, unless it’s not available in the country at all. And ... STOP hammering smokers only. The heavy drinkers are as ill as the smokers, and as addicted.

Posted on 25-04-2012 14:12 | By traceybjammet

just put the tax up on ciggies and alcohol every year like they do in australia. I smoked for 30 years and frankly I dont miss it, its not a treat, dinner out or chocolate or the theatre is a treat, smoking just wastes your money and makes you cranky because you dont really like it, you just do it. Its not up to the government to look after everything in our lives, be pround of not smoking not proud of being a tuff rebellious smoker its just silly.

Posted on 25-04-2012 13:38 | By Capt_Kaveman

Ban public areas where people have to go elsewhere to smoke or in smoke zones, smoking is not a treat of anykind i smoked 42yrs starting at 16yr been free for 6months still going through hell but as the months pass it is getting easier they are filthy horrible things that stink and make you feel like crap wish i never started

Posted on 25-04-2012 10:53 | By Openknee8ted

You just chucked the working paper in the bin and that is why the Government will not be considering it.

Posted on 24-04-2012 18:09 | By Sandyshirl

Yes I fully agree with the above. Ban them completely - and please note, this is coming from a SMOKER. It is so so hard to stop smoking. I hide to smoke, & seem to have only close friends who smoke. BAN them completely, this would help everyone. Yes, they would be available on the black market like cannibas etc but the majority of people this would definitely help.

Posted on 24-04-2012 14:23 | By SpeakUp

The law-abiding citizens who like a smoke or the gangs? If you sat and down and tried to conceive of a plan to put a rocket boost under illegal gains from criminal activity then this is the perfect plan. There is no doubt that we are living in very weird times. Do our politicians read? During the US prohibition time Lucky Luciano and Al Capone managed to achieve their entrepreneurial excellence (along with a lot of accompanying murder and violence) and made so much money that they struggled to know what to do with it all.

Posted on 24-04-2012 14:15 | By shelleyb

Im an ex smoker but I have to say Im getting sick of hearing this debate, if the Government was really truely worried about the health of its people it would take the things of the market, however they know the true blue smokers will keep smoking and this keeps their bank balance full. there must be a better story out there this one is getting boring

Posted on 24-04-2012 10:54 | By PLONKER

Greatest idea for sure, cos there are lots a people smokin does not justify it and especially the effects on those around the "SUCKERS", children and family with passive smoke. The sooner no one smokes te better.

Posted on 24-04-2012 09:28 | By Rangi

This is actually Hone Harawira’s idea. Why would National hitch their wagon to Hone? Oh that’s right, the Nats need some political capital after their awful last couple of weeks! By the way I think there is a typo in Ryall’s photo, "Out" or "Put"??

Posted on 24-04-2012 09:28 | By nothingwrongwithgreen

The decline in smoking will not only be from the price increase. Another good preventative health approach is by making public places smokefree. This stops children and young people from taking up the addiction.

Posted on 24-04-2012 09:16 | By Gee Really

Pricing people out of the habit won’t work and we’ll just see even more calls for government to provide basics such as breakfast and lunch to school kids whose "parents" have spent the benefit on smokes. I guess alternatively healthcare could be denied to smokers but then what about the obese and their care. Most people have some form of weakness, whether it be alcohol, smoking, fatty foods, or sanctimoniousness.

Posted on 24-04-2012 07:09 | By Brownie

Another ploy for the rich to get richer and poor to get poorer. I agree with bexcoz,some people who cannot afford the fine things in life depend on smoking as their treat. Probably one of the only things they have that keeps them going or something to look forward to. Again the children of Aotearoa pay the consequences for our governments selfish choices.

Posted on 24-04-2012 05:58 | By dave4u

non smokers love running smokers lives lets level the playing field same speech different product Minister of Health Tony Ryall says the Government is not currently considering the proposal to increase the cost of a petrol to $100. Ministry of Health officials presented the Bay of Plenty MP with a working paper suggesting a single litre of fuel be raised to $100 over the next eight years, in a bid to make the nation petrol-free by 2025. Health Minister Tony Ryall has been presented with a working paper proposing to increase the cost of petrol to $100 a litre. But the Minister says the Government will not be considering it any time soon. “It’s one of these things where they just have a look at what options there might be.  “I don’t think that anyone seriously thinks that the Government is going to put the price up to $100. “It’s really just something the officials were working on and it’s nothing the Government has made any decisions on.” The document suggests increasing the price to $60 in 2013 and then by an added 10 per cent every year after, making it $100 by 2020. Tony says he would like to see the cost of petrol increased. “I think the most effective way to stop cars is to out the price up. “The price has gone up about 40 per cent over the last three years and we’ve had the biggest drop in crashes that we have ever had. “This is really one of the most effective preventative health measures there can possibly be.” Tony says the working paper’s suggests how difficult it is going to be to get the country petrol-free by 2025, but finding a way to achieve this is worth the hard work. “The more people who drive, the more people who get crash injuries and other injuries and the more costly they are to the health service. “If we cans stop people driving it means they’ve got a much better life and the health system won’t have to deal with them.”

Posted on 23-04-2012 19:30 | By bexcoz

Absolutely ludicrous as those that can least afford to smoke (those in the lower socio economic sector) will still continue to smoke at the detriment of their kids necessities...doing this will create what the like of drug addicts do, steal rob and cheat in order to gain money to afford cigarettes!

Posted on 23-04-2012 17:25 | By CC8

What a gutless and ignorant idea. Why not just ban tobacco sales altogether? Too gutless, to scared that there might be a backlash? I think there would be the opposite, there are more of us who abhor tobacco smoking than users. Put the price up? .... How? taxes? Sure that might be OK if the money went to the health system to pay for the damaghe caused by tobacco...but it won’t, will it? Putting the price up will just make more money for the Tobacco industry. They will increase their prices to cover the loss of volume, and hide the increases behind the "High taxes". Ban them, ( tobacco companies) kick them and their filth out of NZ. Anyone doesn’t like it can follow them home to where they came from.... Britain and USA mostly. The only winning way is to ban tobacco altogether. Local politician and Health Minister Tony Ryall should lead the way and institute a complete ban, immediately.

Posted on 23-04-2012 16:56 | By Calm Gully

I agree with anything to stop people smoking! Hope it doesn’t increase the crime rate though. Come on smoke-free NZ! The sooner the better.