Call to raise cost of tobacco to cut cancer rates

Noddyholder

The Irish Cancer Society has urged the Government to follow Australia’s lead and increase the cost of smoking after the southern nation announced plans to raise the price of a packet of cigarettes to AU$40 (€28.50) by 2020.

Donal Buggy, Head of Services and Advocacy at the Irish Cancer Society said: "We need to send a strong signal that the Government is serious about reaching its target of a tobacco-free Ireland by 2025.

Nearly 3,000 cancer deaths in Ireland annually, about one in four, are caused by smoking.

Forest Ireland, a campaign group for smokers, has criticised the call to increase the cost of tobacco.

"Tobacco is a legal product and consumers shouldn't be punished or treated like lepers for exercising their right to buy or consume it."

http://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0204/850105-cancer-smoking/


Do yo think by raising the price of tobacco to 28e will put people of smoking ?

And also what's this having a tobacco free Ireland in 8 years ?

The tobacco black market is huge & with laws like this will mushroom & I cant see Ireland in 8 years being tobacco free or am I reading that wrong ?

tomwaterford

Surly raising the price will just make everyone buy the illegal fans instead??

Have heard of a lad selling 20K illegals a week in waterford city (200 packs at a time)

GerB40

Make it affordable or illegal. Don't pretend it's about people's health.

mzungu

€28.50 for a packet of 20? Could backfire badly and create an even bigger black market than there is now.

L Angelo Misterioso

Pointless. If the Government were so concerned they'd simply ban them altogether. Too much money to be made though - that's all they care about.

eeguy

It would only work if they cracked down on illegal fags.

Lads are openly selling them in every market around the country and Gardai do nothing.

RasTa

Alcohol causes over 900 cancers in Ireland every year, with 500 deaths, according to the HSE National Cancer Control Programme - See more at:

Time to ban or raise the price of booze to €15 a pint too

Two reasons why this wont happen

1. If it did have the desired effect people would stop smoking thus lowering tax income for govt.

2. Black market sale would go through the roof, thus lowering the govt tax income.


So there you have 2 valid reasons why...oh no... wait....

learn_more

What's their position on processed meats I wonder ?

The_Valeyard

RasTa wrote: »

Time to ban or raise the price of booze to €15 a pint too

That be REVOLUTION.

suicide_circus

learn_more wrote: »

What's their position on processed meats I wonder ?

.
Baloney

CalamariFritti

This raising of the prices is the biggest load of tosh. If they think its so dangerous why don't they ban them? They do it with cannabis. Its total hypocrisy.

As is banning things that are viewed as 'dangerous' by some. Thats a load of bollix. If we don't endanger others why can't we decide for ourselves what we want to do with ourselves?
I hate this nanny state sh1t. Its patronising. You can't do this. You cant do that. You cant think like this. You mustn't say that. Will you feck off with that please? People are fed up with being told whats correct by others. You keep pestering them and they serve you a Trump in return.

Owryan

Don't know anyone who quit because the fags were too expensive. They just got them off "a bloke down the street" instead.

SEPT 23 1989

Money never gets in the way of addiction

Dr Crayfish

Life is short and then we die. Who really cares what kills us? If you didn't get cancer from smoking you'd most likely get it from something else anyway.

SEPT 23 1989

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Life is short and then we die. Who really cares what kills us? If you didn't get cancer from smoking you'd most likely get it from something else anyway.

Thats the kind of Doctors advise I need

Where is your practice?

Samuel T. Cogley

Smoking is great. Personally I'd like to see it banned in public but smokers should be applauded; they pay more in tax than they consume in health services and don't hang around claiming pensions and filling houses. Admittedly this is based on a study done by Philip-Morris in Czech Republic.

Cee-Jay-Cee

If the money genuinely went towards cancer research/care then I would be all for it but it won't so no fcuk off.

jameorahiely

The rate of cancer has increased since we stop letting people smoke indoors and on planes.

The most I have paid for a pack of fags in the last 10 years is €6. You can go to Poland and bring 800 back legally and they are only €3.50 a pack.

Samuel T. Cogley

Deleted User wrote: »

The most I have paid for a pack of fags in the last 10 years is €6. You can go to Poland and bring 800 back legally and they are only €3.50 a pack.

Smoke them in good health.

jameorahiely

The rate of cancer has risen since they started rising the price of cigarettes



the 10 top things "the man"doesn't want you to know


You won't believe number 4 :eek:

B.A._Baracus

Michael Douglas would disagree.













(Obscure joke :pac: )

Widdershins

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Life is short and then we die. Who really cares what kills us? If you didn't get cancer from smoking you'd most likely get it from something else anyway.

Yep, probably. Sometimes it seems like people forget there's more than just lung cancer.

gctest50

Noddyholder wrote: »

The Irish Cancer Society has urged the Government to follow Australia’s lead and increase the cost of smoking after the southern nation announced plans to raise the price of a packet of cigarettes to AU$40 (€28.50) by 2020.

Donal Buggy, Head of Services and Advocacy at the Irish Cancer Society said: "We need to send a strong signal that the Government is serious about reaching its target of a tobacco-free Ireland by 2025.

Nearly 3,000 cancer deaths in Ireland annually, about one in four, are caused by smoking.

Forest Ireland, a campaign group for smokers, has criticised the call to increase the cost of tobacco.

"Tobacco is a legal product and consumers shouldn't be punished or treated like lepers for exercising their right to buy or consume it."

http://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0204/850105-cancer-smoking/


Do yo think by raising the price of tobacco to 28e will put people of smoking ?

And also what's this having a tobacco free Ireland in 8 years ?

The tobacco black market is huge & with laws like this will mushroom & I cant see Ireland in 8 years being tobacco free or am I reading that wrong ?

Another bloody charity making noise

pre-empting :

but but they provide nightnursing and transport volunteers and research and and

the HSE could do all that in their lunch-break while munching chips

JupiterKid

Cigarettes in this country are more then expensive enough as it is. Raising the price to almost €30 a pack would create an explosion in the black market and illegal activity. Own goal.

These sanctimonious health fascists piss me off. Didn't they get what they wanted with the smoking ban? Obviously not!

bodhrandude

Why don't they just make cigarettes healthier, put vitamin c in them or orange juice or something like that.

Tin Foil Hat

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Money never gets in the way of addiction

High prices can certainly add to the misery of the afflicted, though.

Spanish Eyes

Not very many people smoke anymore, well I don't notice it as much when out and about now.

The Irish Cancer Society is a charity, always fundraising and so on, yet they have a YUGE property on Northumberland Road that's worth a good few bob. Should go out to somewhere like Ballymount and put the proceeds to good use. LOL.

Once they've got the fags sorted, Vaping is next. Watch this space.

And no, there is a tipping point re prices, and then those who would never use smuggled dodgy fags will do so.

I heard you can ring the suppliers and they will deliver to your door!

gctest50

JupiterKid wrote: »

................These sanctimonious health fascists piss me off...................

may be mistaken but you might be able to add to that :

"All of the Irish Cancer Society’s work is funded by voluntary contributions: the charity does not receive any grants.

Donal doesn’t think that’s a bad thing."

http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/news/donegal-news/46383/Helping-cancer-patients-cope-.html

"The balance comes from Government grants 2% "

https://www.cancer.ie/about-us/who-we-are/annual-reports-accounts#sthash.bTfTSS7e.dpbs

However, figures obtained by TheJournal.ie show that the amount paid out to recipients in 2015 was in fact €1,551,775, and not the €1.8 million previously stated by the society.

http://www.thejournal.ie/irish-cancer-society-fund-closed-2543829-Jan2016/

Parachutes

I'd say cigarettes will be completely banned by 2050.

It seems strange that people think its okay to completely ostracize cigarettes to the point where they're almost impossible to enjoy on a regular basis just because they're bad for you. If we applied the same standard to processed food or drink for example and put in the same amount of public spending and policy would people feel the same way?

I think the dangers of smoking are completely overblown, I know people in there 70's and 80's who have smoked their entire lives who are as strong and healthy as an ox.

I say educate people and let them make their own decisions.

the evasion_kid

bodhrandude wrote: »

Why don't they just make cigarettes healthier, put vitamin c in them or orange juice or something like that.

There is always vaping....But now there's talk of a tax on that and regulating the living beejayus out of it! More EU nonsense

goose2005

RasTa wrote: »

Time to ban or raise the price of booze to €15 a pint too

Only in offlicences of course.

Widdershins

the evasion_kid wrote: »

There is always vaping....But now there's talk of a tax on that and regulating the living beejayus out of it! More EU nonsense

Vaping is not good for you, either.

I agree with the other posters pointing out various things that people do despite it being known those things cause cancer. Living in a city and being exposed to exhaust fumes and general air pollution is as bad as passive smoking. I don't remember if first hand or passive smoking are worse but that seems bad enough to me. Add to that the diet of processed food, red meat and alcohol that many people consume, and there's plenty to be worrying about without obsessing over other peoples' cigarettes.

endacl

RasTa wrote: »

Time to ban or raise the price of booze to €15 a pint too

Duck Fat.

FlawedGenius

Why not just ban it like cannabis??its even worse than cannabis forbir health amd we all know cannabis makes you lazy and mad.... Ohhh coz they make a fortune on tax (eyes to heaven)

sparksfly

Duck fat as well? Ah ffs I must be riddled at this stage.

the_syco

From 2015; http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/price-to-blame-as-seizures-of-illegal-cigarettes-soar-307296.html

Increasing the price just increases the supply of illegal cigarettes which don't need to abide by any health laws.

Robineen

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Life is short and then we die. Who really cares what kills us?

I doubt someone who is diagnosed with a terminal illness at a young age thinks that way, knowing that the vast majority of people will get decades more time to live than them.

Anyway, on the subject of the OP, 'tis nonsense. People will always find money for their vices.

Robineen

Parachutes wrote: »

I think the dangers of smoking are completely overblown, I know people in there 70's and 80's who have smoked their entire lives who are as strong and healthy as an ox.

Well, no, it's been greatly studied and that's against huge pressure from the tobacco industry. Cigarettes contain potent carginogens, of this there is no doubt. Citing people you know who lived long whilst smoking isn't useful. One must study it at the population level to draw conclusions about how harmful it is.

I agree that adults are big boys and girls and it's up to them whether they smoke or not. I'd never tell someone to not smoke or nag someone to quit. It's just strange that you say people should be educated on smoking but you don't seem interested in educating yourself on the subject?

Graces7

Wondering if anyone has correlated the cost and strain of treating smoking related illnesses on our beleagured health service?

newwan

CalamariFritti wrote: »

As is banning things that are viewed as 'dangerous' by some. Thats a load of bollix. If we don't endanger others why can't we decide for ourselves what we want to do with ourselves?
I hate this nanny state sh1t. Its patronising. You can't do this. You cant do that. You cant think like this. You mustn't say that. Will you feck off with that please? People are fed up with being told whats correct by others. You keep pestering them and they serve you a Trump in return.

Agreed for the most part but not re smoking.

Smoking kills others and do you have any idea how much it costs to keep an old crock smoker alive for a year when the sh1t hits the fan and they can't walk, have copd stroke cancer, legs amputated? Home oxygen for example. Whole house needs to be relaid. Literally millions are spent on these idiots as they die compared to non smoking people

newwan

Graces7 wrote: »

Wondering if anyone has correlated the cost and strain of treating smoking related illnesses on our beleagured health service?

I'm not aware of Irish data recently but it has been done in other areas and its collosal. Many of the most expensive diseases would not exist without smoking. Like even forget cancer. Lung cancer drugs aren't the most expensive. But the guys with copd who are hospitalised every winter. That's massive money and it's so common. Probably half of the 600 on trolleys are there due to smoking. Health care would be so much cheaper if we didn't have smoking

newwan

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Life is short and then we die. Who really cares what kills us? If you didn't get cancer from smoking you'd most likely get it from something else anyway.

Stupidest post of the year. Maybe of all time? The money needed to pay for that cystic fibrosis drug for little kids to breathe is being spent on smokers...
Tax money is spent on dodgy fags

the_syco

newwan wrote: »

Health care would be so much cheaper if we didn't have smoking

And if we increase the price, the health care will get less money from taxes.

Weed is illegal, but you don't need ID to get it.

Markcheese

Drop the taxs on fags... but introduce an obligatory health insurance payment per pack ... to be stamped on your government services card ... no stamps - smoking related illness cover ....
Yeah it'd be extortionatly expensive .. and stupidly expensive to run ... but I don't smoke

srsly78

newwan wrote: »

Stupidest post of the year. Maybe of all time? The money needed to pay for that cystic fibrosis drug for little kids to breathe is being spent on smokers...
Tax money is spent on dodgy fags

Smoking saves the healthcare system money, go look at some economic studies.

newwan

the_syco wrote: »

newwan wrote: »

Health care would be so much cheaper if we didn't have smoking

And if we increase the price, the health care will get less money from taxes.

Weed is illegal, but you don't need ID to get it.

Again very short sighted post. There is no cure for copd. A Non smoking life and its health care is always going to be cheaper than a smokers life and health spend all things considered

newwan

srsly78 wrote: »

newwan wrote: »

Stupidest post of the year. Maybe of all time? The money needed to pay for that cystic fibrosis drug for little kids to breathe is being spent on smokers...
Tax money is spent on dodgy fags

Smoking saves the healthcare system money, go look at some economic studies.

Please post this study.

Maybe if you reckon killing people off in their 40s and 50s is good health economics...

drunkmonkey

They should be €25 a packet and come with 14 days of champix tablets stuck to the packet.

Saying that as someone back on the champix heading into the last 4 weeks again (got 4yrs off smokes the last time with them). Now off them a full week.

Champix are €100 a month and you've to take them for 3mts. That's a fecking rip off as I've been taxed to the bolix smoking for 20 years, benson and hedges should be paying for them at least.

srsly78

newwan wrote: »

Please post this study.

Maybe if you reckon killing people off in their 40s and 50s is good health economics...

Smokers dying young saves money, this is a fact. Whether is it desirable or not is debatable - but the money argument does not work.

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199710093371506