As an Englishman who has seen too many deaths and terrible illness caused by smoking I despair when I see so many young women shop assistants standing outside their shops smoking. Worst still children sitting by parents smoking in restaurants.
The problem with raising the tax on tobacco is that the State becomes dependent upon the income so we have both the individual and the State hooked on the habit. BUT looking to the future it will be the individual that will suffer the consequences and the State who will pick up the increased health bill!
What is the solution? Suggestions have been made to charge the tobacco company executives with Crimes Against Humanity but as we all know people choose to smoke - or do they? Advertising and peer pressure is the real key to how people start and become addicted. If Governments prevented advertising and made it an offence to sell tobacco to children it would be a start. Any increased tax revenue should be used to advertise against smoking.
Roy Watkin