So failed politician, pro-gun, Leyno may need new income...from somewhere.

DON'T MESS WITH OUR TOBACCO SMOKING LAWS!

We non-smoking Taxpayers already support the free medical care (Medicare) that services

Disproportionate Numbers of Smokers/Ex-smokers before they sadly die early from smoking.

Come off it plantagenet, with the huge tax take off smokers, they are probably paying most of the health care for everyone else.

Hi David,

"All legal tobacco products are now imported, whereas tobacco growing was once a thriving industry, and efforts to stamp local production rival those aimed at curbing cannabis."

I disagree with this policy.
I think if it's good enough to sell in Australia, then it's good enough to grow in Australia.

Why deprive Australian farmers of growing a profitable resource that can help the economy and put food on farmers tables?
Why see Australian dollars needlessly sent overseas when the product can be produced here?

"In addition, the excise on tobacco has been ramped up to the point where Australia now has the most expensive cigarettes in the world, with almost three-quarters of the cost of a pack going to the government."

They certainly are expensive and overpriced, and for this disproportionate tax rate the government needs to give something back.

(Or it stands ethically guilty of profiteering from people with addictions)

The answer is to make the cost of things to help you give up dirt cheap.
Patches, Lozenges, Spray, Gum, etc.

There's even a valid argument that they all should be on the PBS when you announce a 25 pack a day smoker pays $10,000 a year in cigarette taxes.

I'm undecided for now on the plain packaging issue.
Sure the packs are ugly, but so are the effects of smoking on the smoker.
And going back to branded packets sure won't help reduce smoking.

Yes, A.C., Much in what you say. I used to be a two pack a day smoker. tried several times to quit. And failed the first couple of times, because in my heart I didn't want to, and was the only "pleasure" in my crummy bastard life.

Then came love, marriage and a family. Convinced myself, if I stepped outside etc, the smoke never had to be shared with the tin lids, and all OK. Then a freak accident. that was a badly fractured back going somewhere to happen.

Because I'd left service with an undiagnosed and untreated compression fracture of L1 at the sacral Lumber junction.

That moved gradually up my spine taking the spinal processors from one side of my spine out, i.e., L2 and 3. Then those on the other side.
When the latter collapsed both the intervening discs completely ruptured. Cost me my dream job and my marriage.

Spent 8 years chasing a legal remedy, that was halved. due to so-called shared responsibility. Arguably, the price of soldiering on and never sparing oneself, cause folks depended on one.

Quit for good over three decades ago!

Anyhow, when the back finally quit so did I. Couldn't take bread from the mouths of my kids from a massively diminished (halved then quartered) income just to pay for something I never really needed.

Threw half a pack and lighter in the bin and just went cold turkey.

Simply put, when a body really wants to quit. that's what a body does! And all of Hasbeens half-assed excuses thrown in with them!

Smoking is done by choice. Nobody was born smoking! Kissed and ashtray lately Has? Cause you can't smell it means nothing, because, for the 90% of the population of non-smokers, that's what a smoker's breath, hair, clothes and immediate environment smells like.

Smoke itself smells infinitely worse!
Alan B.

I will just leave this here with thanks to Aunty;

Quote

Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm has denied his acceptance of donations from a tobacco company influenced his decision to push for a senate inquiry into illegal tobacco.

Senator Leyonhjelm is on the committee that will run the inquiry.

"No, the tobacco companies haven't asked me to do an inquiry, they have drawn to my attention the illicit tobacco market," Senator Leyonhjelm told 7.30.

"Obviously it's in their interest to be selling legal tobacco, not illegal tobacco."

Senator Leyonhjelm confirmed he has received $55,000 from Phillip Morris in the past, but claimed he had been campaigning for the right for people to smoke since 2001.

End quote

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-19/leyonhjelm-denies-donation-behind-push-illegal-tobacco-inquiry/7184696

I totally agree with Hasbeen's statements on this ! Drug abusers don't get slugged so why hit smokers ? They do less damage than the mutts in suits in ivory towers sniffing Cocaine !
Slug Universities for dumping so many costly morons on us !