Tobacco Tax - who does it really hurt?

[Gough]

Smoking some French baccy that my dear old ma bought back for me, 7 Euros for 30g. We're getting fleeced here.

 

[Showbags]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-...ws-as-number-of-smokers-almost-halves/7886316

Smoking at all time low.

Contributing factors include cost, plain packaging, restrictive laws.

Remember when we were told that plain packaging would have no effect on smoking rates?

 

[Long Live HFC]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-...ws-as-number-of-smokers-almost-halves/7886316

Smoking at all time low.

Contributing factors include cost, plain packaging, restrictive laws.

Remember when we were told that plain packaging would have no effect on smoking rates?

your own source says it's "difficult" to determine the cause. i suspect out of all the anti-tobacco efforts thus far, plain packaging would come in dead last in terms of impact on current smokers. it is certainly possible it has more of an impact on young people who haven't taken up the habit, though. as noted in the article, the increased cost is what has likely had the greatest effect.

 

[Lebbo73]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-...ws-as-number-of-smokers-almost-halves/7886316

Smoking at all time low.

Contributing factors include cost, plain packaging, restrictive laws.

Remember when we were told that plain packaging would have no effect on smoking rates?

Price, not packaging.

 

[Showbags]

your own source says it's "difficult" to determine the cause. i suspect out of all the anti-tobacco efforts thus far, plain packaging would come in dead last in terms of impact on current smokers. it is certainly possible it has more of an impact on young people who haven't taken up the habit, though. as noted in the article, the increased cost is what has likely had the greatest effect.

Cant disagree. I think they are all are having a significant impact.

But as you said plain packaging is likely leading to less new smokers taking up the habit which can only be a good thing.

 

[Showbags]

Price, not packaging.

Price and packaging is more accurate.

 

[Puddy]

Black market tobacco isnt included in the figures. Would account for a rather large percentage of the less legal cigarettes sold. In the last 6 months i know one person who has quit smoking and 4 people who have taken up smoking.

 

[Kynge of Begrem]

Black market tobacco isnt included in the figures. Would account for a rather large percentage of the less legal cigarettes sold. In the last 6 months i know one person who has quit smoking and 4 people who have taken up smoking.

Yes it is. It is a survey of people's smoking habits, not a record of sales.

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

your own source says it's "difficult" to determine the cause. i suspect out of all the anti-tobacco efforts thus far, plain packaging would come in dead last in terms of impact on current smokers. it is certainly possible it has more of an impact on young people who haven't taken up the habit, though. as noted in the article, the increased cost is what has likely had the greatest effect.

Spot on. Someone already addicted isn't going to give two shits about the package that they come in - addiction doesn't really work like that. I've recently quit after being a pack of 30s a day smoker for about a decade and personally it came down to one thing; the price. Gets bloody hard to justify when you're spending $200 or so a week on them.

As for young people who haven't yet taken it up, I am still dubious as to how much impact plain packaging would have, but I guess if it stops even a few from taking it up in the first place it is a worthwhile change.

 

[Puddy]

Yes it is. It is a survey of people's smoking habits, not a record of sales.

And who do they survey? I can only go by what i see, and i see alot of people who smoke due to stress

 

[Kynge of Begrem]

And who do they survey? I can only go by what i see, and i see alot of people who smoke due to stress

look it up www.aihw.gov.au

 

[Puddy]

New data shows that smoking has increased. this clearly shows that that taxation DOES NOT WORK. It also indicates a surge in black market tobacco which would have been pretty obvious

 

[GreyCrow]

New data shows that smoking has increased. this clearly shows that that taxation DOES NOT WORK. It also indicates a surge in black market tobacco which would have been pretty obvious

Link
The analysis, based on the triennial survey conducted independently by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, found the number of smokers fell by 317,000 between 2010 and 2013 but rose 21,100 in the three years to 2016. “That’s the first time that’s ever happened. The rates have always dropped significantly every time,” Dr Mendelsohn said, pointing out that the fall in the daily smoking rate for over-18s of 0.5 per cent to 12.8 per cent in 2016 was statistically insignificant.

He said plain packaging and tax increases had worked better for younger than older smokers, noting regular smoking rates for 12 to 17 years old had halved to 1.5 per cent over the past three years. “But we’re left with established, older smokers who can’t or won’t quit. The strategy of higher prices isn’t working for them,” he said.

Yep skyrocketing

 

[Power Raid]

just interesting to see which nations don't mind a f** or two

 

[GreyCrow]

just interesting to see which nations don't mind a f** or two

And here we are having a survey

 

[Power Raid]

I wonder what % of people who smoke in Australia are either indigenous or immigrants

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

03 July I quit. Saving myself $28 per day. No other reason whatsoever.

 

[Lebbo73]

I quit smoking on the 30/12/2008. I didn't quit because of price and Winfield Gold was $13 a pack. Now you can turn those two numbers around to get the price.

 

[Power Raid]

I quit smoking on the 30/12/2008. I didn't quit because of price and Winfield Gold was $13 a pack. Now you can turn those two numbers around to get the price.

That's a good return on investment, especially through the GFC

 

[Gough]

I bought a packet of **** for the first time since I gave up when I was pissed over the weekend, beer, and cigarettes are soooo good. But at $20 I didn't need much reminding why I gave up.

 

[Elroo]

Never smoked a single cigarette in my life, bloody disgusting habit!

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

I bought a packet of **** for the first time since I gave up when I was pissed over the weekend, beer, and cigarettes are soooo good. But at $20 I didn't need much reminding why I gave up.

Yeah I just read an old post of mine higher up on this page from last year - I'd quit for about a month or so at that stage. Back on the campaigners now, for this exact reason.

 

[Gough]

Yeah I just read an old post of mine higher up on this page from last year - I'd quit for about a month or so at that stage. Back on the campaigners now, for this exact reason.

That was the first packet I bought in six months, and a friend's mum gave me twenty Marlbros for my birthday, but mostly I get by with a vape pen, and spliffs.

 

[Scotland]

Survey above is interesting. There's a big difference between % of people who smoke and % of places that allow smoking.

Whenever I am in Europe or Asia it feels like every second person smokes because it is allowed in so many more places. Here it's more socially acceptable to be carrying a communicable disease than a packet of Winnie Blues.

 

[Puddy]

The huge black market for tobacco that has emerged as a response to government greed is now a big problem.

Prohibition doesn't work. Excess taxation doesn't work. Only education does