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EXTRA CIGARETTE TAX IN BUDGET "WOULD SAVE LIVES AND MONEY"
Tuesday 22 June 2010
A leading NI health charity has urged the Chancellor to increase the cost of tobacco by 5% above that of inflation in the emergency Budget. It's calculated that such a one-off increase would reduce the number of smokers in Northern Ireland by up to 5,400
NI Chest, Heart & Stroke (NICHS) says this one-off increase would reduce consumption by 2.5% and provide an additional £400m for the Treasury.
Andrew Dougal, Chief Executive of NICHS said, "The Policy Exchange Think Tank, through its research, has found that the popular myth that smoking is a net contributor to the economy is totally false."
"Its research shows that every single cigarette smoked costs the country 6.5p. It calls for an increase over the 5 years of this Parliament of a total of £1.29 on a pack of 20 to a sale price of £7.42. At this stage smoking would be cost-neutral to the Exchequer."
The annual cost of health care and other consequences of smoking totals £13.74b - 6.5 pence per cigarette. Currently tobacco taxation raises £10b per year for the Treasury - a shortfall of £3.74b.
The total includes the cost of low productivity during smoking breaks and the bill for cleaning up fag ends and putting out fires.
Andrew Dougal, Chief Executive of NICHS says, "Government should spend about £10m per year throughout the UK in order to boost the take-up of stop smoking services. This is particularly necessary in deprived areas where more people smoke."
"Incremental change will not propel many smokers to quit the habit. A substantial increase at a single stroke would greatly motivate many to quit the habit."
"At a time of austerity it is important that people are empowered to become released from the addiction to nicotine. This would ensure that those on low incomes would be able to spend a lot more of their funds on healthy nutrition."
"In addition to the financial consequences there is a huge human cost. Families would benefit greatly from loved ones not dying prematurely from tobacco related illnesses. Those who quit could avoid the horrendous suffering from critical illnesses like lung cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, heart disease and stroke."
