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Child Item

Goberment forcing people into hunger!!

frag420

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/tobacco-tax-forcing-low-income-people-to-go-without-food-1.1525108

Repeated tax increases on cigarettes and tobacco are forcing people to go without food in order to have money to satisfy their addiction rather than deterring smoking, the Joint Oireachtas Finance Committee has heard.
During a discussion of pre-budget submissions with a range of health interest groups, Labour TD Kevin Humphreys said the rise in the price of cigarettes in shops was forcing people to either buy smuggled or counterfeit products or go without essential items.

Give em chewing tobacco, problem solved!!

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Roger_007

diomed wrote: »

I had to read the opening post a few times to see if I could understand. Labour TD Kevin Humphreys doesn't make sense. How did he get elected?

The voters have a similar IQ to his.:(

Lapin

"Goberment forcing people into hunger!!"

FFS the spelling on Afters Hours just gets worser and worser. :mad:

Its Gubberment OP.

Get it together man.

Frosty McSnowballs

Well this thread is retarded.

If people want to choose cigarettes over food then that's fine.

It might knock the population down a bit.

banquo

People know that addiction isn't about smart vs stupid, right?

It wasn't me!

ScumLord wrote: »

How is it a choice? It's a case of "do as I say or I'll make you!"

People want to stop other people from making the choice to smoke or not by making it more and more difficult to make the choice that they want. It's the exact opposite of giving people a choice.

All choices have costs. In this case, people had a choice, heavily incentivised, to give up smoking or not be able to afford food. It's like having the answers circled on the test paper and still getting it wrong, proving some people shouldn't be allowed leave the house without a helmet and a babysitter.

FloatingVoter

My name is URL wrote: »

Are there any stats that actually show that the revenue raised on cigarettes covers the costs related to smoking?

iirc, 2 billion is raised per year. Something like the High Tech Drug Scheme alone costs the state close to 500 million.

Thanks, we'll use your figures...the HTDS is gone. Now for the other 75% ...now that we're no longer smoking - what do you suggest goes next.

I am pie

banquo wrote: »

People know that addiction isn't about smart vs stupid, right?

Just stop smoking, it isn't heroin despite the nonsense that people come out with, you won't be violently ill and suffer all manner of aches pains and severe physical symptons. There won't be hallucinations etc.

Stop sticking them in yer gob and lighting them. You'll be narky for a few weeks but it will pass. FFS. No time for that nonsense, I quit myself a few years ago. When people ask how, I tell them I wanted to so I stopped smoking cigarettes. Simple as that.

It very much is about smart vs stupid when it comes down someone on lets say 30k a year spending 10%+ of their income (a lot more actually when you factor in their tax out of the 30k) on slowly killing themselves.

Poor smokers. Boo hoo.

Dave!

Let them eat cake. Everyone likes cake!

Roger_007

My name is URL wrote: »

Are there any stats that actually show that the revenue raised on cigarettes covers the costs related to smoking?

iirc, 2 billion is raised per year. Something like the High Tech Drug Scheme alone costs the state close to 500 million.

It would be impossible to estimate how much any particular environmental factor costs the state. Sometimes people pluck figures out of the air but that is all it is; a wild guess. There are so many factors involved in illness/health/life expectancy that it is absurd trying to isolate any particular one and put a cost on it.
It is a strange-but-true fact that countries with the lowest smoking rates in the world also have the lowest life expectancy, e.g. Sub-Saharan Africa and India. The smoking rates have declined in Ireland from about 40% 25 years ago to 22% today. Yet the cost of the health service has trebled in that time.
What does all this prove? Absolutely nothing.

Gran Hermano

hullaballoo wrote: »

It would deter most sane people from starting and it is a big incentive to quit when you realise that a 20-a-day smoker is spending about €3,500 p/a, which is only going to increase.

Or you could spend 500 of that on a couple of trips a year to other EU states, legally stock up on cheaper cigarettes and save 50 per cent compared to the Irish price.

dark crystal

I am pie wrote: »

Just stop smoking, it isn't heroin despite the nonsense that people come out with, you won't be violently ill and suffer all manner of aches pains and severe physical symptons. There won't be hallucinations etc.

Stop sticking them in yer gob and lighting them. You'll be narky for a few weeks but it will pass. FFS. No time for that nonsense, I quit myself a few years ago. When people ask how, I tell them I wanted to so I stopped smoking cigarettes. Simple as that.

It very much is about smart vs stupid when it comes down someone on lets say 30k a year spending 10%+ of their income (a lot more actually when you factor in their tax out of the 30k) on slowly killing themselves.

Poor smokers. Boo hoo.

Nothing worse than a preachy, smug ex-smoker. If giving up was that easy, everyone would do it.

As an ex smoker myself, I can kind of understand where Humphrey's coming from. For many people on low incomes, cigarettes are one of the only pleasures they get in life. It may not make sense to a non-smoker, but smoking is a stress reliever, a comfort of sorts. I know of people who have gone without dinner in order to buy a packet of cigarettes. It may seem stupid and selfish to others, but to the smoker, it's a crutch they feel they just couldn't do without.

DamagedTrax

I am pie wrote: »

Just stop smoking, it isn't heroin despite the nonsense that people come out with, you won't be violently ill and suffer all manner of aches pains and severe physical symptons. There won't be hallucinations etc.

Stop sticking them in yer gob and lighting them. You'll be narky for a few weeks but it will pass. FFS. No time for that nonsense, I quit myself a few years ago. When people ask how, I tell them I wanted to so I stopped smoking cigarettes. Simple as that.

It very much is about smart vs stupid when it comes down someone on lets say 30k a year spending 10%+ of their income (a lot more actually when you factor in their tax out of the 30k) on slowly killing themselves.

Poor smokers. Boo hoo.

No.

ScumLord

It wasn't me! wrote: »

All choices have costs. In this case, people had a choice, heavily incentivised,

The same way the mob give people the "option" of paying protection money.

Days 298

banquo wrote: »

People know that addiction isn't about smart vs stupid, right?

Maybe but nothing beats being up on the high horse when it comes to smokers for some.

I am pie wrote: »

Just stop smoking, it isn't heroin despite the nonsense that people come out with, you won't be violently ill and suffer all manner of aches pains and severe physical symptons. There won't be hallucinations etc.

Stop sticking them in yer gob and lighting them. You'll be narky for a few weeks but it will pass. FFS. No time for that nonsense, I quit myself a few years ago. When people ask how, I tell them I wanted to so I stopped smoking cigarettes. Simple as that.

It very much is about smart vs stupid when it comes down someone on lets say 30k a year spending 10%+ of their income (a lot more actually when you factor in their tax out of the 30k) on slowly killing themselves.

Poor smokers. Boo hoo.

Nothing beats the judgemental attitude and preachiness of an ex smoker. And I've never smoked!

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Or you could spend 500 of that on a couple of trips a year to other EU states, legally stock up on cheaper cigarettes and save 50 per cent compared to the Irish price.

And contribute zero to the exchequer :rolleyes: Government shooting themselves in the foot but hey the high prices allow the health zealots get on the high horse and rant like above a bit more when people say "Maybe they cost a bit too much?" I know many who haven't bought cigarettes with Irish duty in years opting for friends to bring home some for them and buy them themselves while abroad.

I am pie

Boo hoo.

Just.stop.smoking.

opiniated

Lapin wrote: »

"Goberment forcing people into hunger!!"

FFS the spelling on Afters Hours just gets worser and worser. :mad:

Its Gubberment OP.

Get it together man.

Nah! It's definitely Gob- erment.:P:D
All they ever do is mouth off!:D:D

R P McMurphy

dark crystal wrote: »

Nothing worse than a preachy, smug ex-smoker. If giving up was that easy, everyone would do it.

As an ex smoker myself, I can kind of understand where Humphrey's coming from. For many people on low incomes, cigarettes are one of the only pleasures they get in life. It may not make sense to a non-smoker, but smoking is a stress reliever, a comfort of sorts. I know of people who have gone without dinner in order to buy a packet of cigarettes. It may seem stupid and selfish to others, but to the smoker, it's a crutch they feel they just couldn't do without.

Theres none so pure as a reformed hoor

Days 298

I am pie wrote: »

Boo hoo.

Just.stop.smoking.

R P McMurphy wrote: »

Theres none so pure as a reformed hoor

KwackerJack

Shocking i know, at this rate ill have to buy a smaller car, buy my clothes in Tesco instead of Penney's and give up buttered popcorn all to keep up my coke habit!

If you choose fags over food well best of luck. Obviously the smoke has killed some brain cells!

Shout Dust

Darwinism at its best