It is a national embarrassment that prohibitionist zealots dictate Australian lifestyle control policies, not a legitimate function of government. Black market cigarettes without ugly shouting propaganda are widely available at around $16/packet, compared to defaced debased excise paid product at $40 plus. Tax is roughly 87% of the retail price, with yet more increases planned. Only one shipping container in 16 needs to evade interdiction, and the border force physical inspection rate is 2%. Treasury revenue figures indicate 60% of smokers no longer smoke. No, the government got too greedy and now get none of the punitive excessive taxes. Monomaniac one eyed zealotry has no place in a "democracy". Tobacco controls are the canary in the coal mine for authoritarian biomedical fascism.
Australia has ALWAYS been a nanny state, watching over its potentially wayward citizens with a watchful eye, and a stick in the hand. Go back to its founding - the criminal class bound by regulation after regulation, then the free settlers who couldn't go into virgin territory and stake a claim but had to queue up for a tranche of land already surveyed and marked out by Govt officials. Aussies just got used to the "Guvvie" making all the important decisions, and it quite fitted in with their notions of cutting down the tall poppies. It is a highly bureaucratic nation with Canberra at the top, then the state bureaucracies and all their politicians as well, and then a couple of levels of more local government. Mind you, the UK is doing its best to catch up.
Countries that have universal health care probably are more prone trying to weed out harmful habits.
As a tax payer I wonder why I need to help pay for the repairs needed by people who abused their body with cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, too much junk food, Xtreme sports, etc.
I am not retracting anything, this is a discussion. If you find studies that support your remark, I will be happy to go over them. So far I have mainly found studies that indicate how drinking, smoking, overeating, drug use etc. indeed leads to higher health care and other costs.
Some of the pictures on UK cigarettes and rolling tobacco are truly awful- especially the one with the teeth! I actually look forward to seeing the sick child.
I don't have children.
I'll give up when they stop telling me to give up!
It is a national embarrassment that prohibitionist zealots dictate Australian lifestyle control policies, not a legitimate function of government. Black market cigarettes without ugly shouting propaganda are widely available at around $16/packet, compared to defaced debased excise paid product at $40 plus. Tax is roughly 87% of the retail price, with yet more increases planned. Only one shipping container in 16 needs to evade interdiction, and the border force physical inspection rate is 2%. Treasury revenue figures indicate 60% of smokers no longer smoke. No, the government got too greedy and now get none of the punitive excessive taxes. Monomaniac one eyed zealotry has no place in a "democracy". Tobacco controls are the canary in the coal mine for authoritarian biomedical fascism.
Australia has ALWAYS been a nanny state, watching over its potentially wayward citizens with a watchful eye, and a stick in the hand. Go back to its founding - the criminal class bound by regulation after regulation, then the free settlers who couldn't go into virgin territory and stake a claim but had to queue up for a tranche of land already surveyed and marked out by Govt officials. Aussies just got used to the "Guvvie" making all the important decisions, and it quite fitted in with their notions of cutting down the tall poppies. It is a highly bureaucratic nation with Canberra at the top, then the state bureaucracies and all their politicians as well, and then a couple of levels of more local government. Mind you, the UK is doing its best to catch up.
Countries that have universal health care probably are more prone trying to weed out harmful habits.
As a tax payer I wonder why I need to help pay for the repairs needed by people who abused their body with cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, too much junk food, Xtreme sports, etc.
Those who don't look after their health save you money. They die sooner, avoiding expensive end-of-life care costs to the system.
Maybe, maybe not. Have any statistics on this issue ?
I will take the time to find the statistics for you, on condition that if they support my statement, you will modify or retract your statement.
I am not retracting anything, this is a discussion. If you find studies that support your remark, I will be happy to go over them. So far I have mainly found studies that indicate how drinking, smoking, overeating, drug use etc. indeed leads to higher health care and other costs.
Thank you for your honesty. I won't waste a single second of my time.
Some of the pictures on UK cigarettes and rolling tobacco are truly awful- especially the one with the teeth! I actually look forward to seeing the sick child.
I don't have children.
I'll give up when they stop telling me to give up!
I don't like this new version of Love Hearts