under one god:

Firstly, I must compliment you on your posts – each one of them is a work of art. Often esoteric and sometimes require some extra work to interpret but art should be like that.

I would like to pick up on your costings – I simply do not know whether its $31B or $800M but expect it to be closer to the latter. What I would like to see is an estimate for the savings made by smokers dying early and therefore not requiring age care, palliative treatment and the plethora of devices and services that frankly cost a fortune just to keep them / us alive.

Let’s have a stab – 1,000,000 naughty people dying 10 years early – assume average cost per week for average care, medicines and treatments at $500. Hmm, that’s $26B pa. Hmm. Even if my maths is out by a factor of 10 or 100, it’s still a SL of cash we’ll have to find if everyone stopped smoking and lived longer (plus we wouldn’t have the excise income either). Hmm.

rehctub:

To address your original post, I think that people will smoke regardless. I remember when smokes went from $1.20 to $2.00 in mid-80’s – there was outcry and predictions that punters would give it up in droves ... I think the rules that have been around for a few years now that have them locked out of view is an excellent deterrent and think the extra step of plain packaging is unnecessary.

under one god:

Firstly, I must compliment you on your posts – each one of them is a work of art. Often esoteric and sometimes require some extra work to interpret but art should be like that......lol....does one need one leg when kissing butt, or just a novelists understanding of giving a well placed plate of chum, next to the water bowl:)

Must be two puff and billies bitching over the price of poison:)

When will the madness ever stop.

SPY.V.SPY

peter..i got the 800 million from the hansard
[it was during the debate]...i noted them at the time on the topic
with actual quotes of who said it

i think here

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=4307&page=0

but..there was another one at the time
http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=11850&page=0

the 31 billion is as said there at that time
the total monetry cost of smoking..[ie everything from bying,it/jobs.taxes...ie 'social costs'..the term you use when your trying to tell a lie

if it could be linked to smoking...
even including the cost of burying those deemed to have died from smoking attributable causes

attributable is another buzz word
if gangreen is 'attributable' to smoking..that goes into the 'stats'

if asbestosis lung deaths...are attributable as smoking..
insurance then dont have to payout for asbestosis..etc etc
which was a huge worry for that industry

THEN,
it goes all..into the 'social cost' numbers

even the 800 million
of actual medical costs

but as you will be aware..the big number so easilly is dropped in as the medical costs..[but even by dividing the numbers..that simply dont float..thus is spin]

I would rather see drinking alcohol regulated a bit more than it is.
Smoking is an informed choice for those who indulge. The tax earned by Government on cigarettes is far too good to let go of.
The people who indulge in this habit are only hurting themselves and possibly their family, eventually the day will come when it may kill the smoker. I have never seen any smoker come home and bash his wife and kids, or cause car accidents. I would far rather see more time and money, if necessary , go into educating those who drink in public places, get drunk and try to drive home, usually, it is more than one person who gets injured, maimed or killed.
NSB

Cactus:) – I’m glad I gave you a giggle on a Monday morning but suspect your “LOL” was mirthless. You seem to be very upset about the fact that others are killing themselves by their own choice and paying handsomely for the privilege. What gives?

Is it the naughty tobacco companies that tricked us into using the weed? Does the sight of someone enjoying a fag make you jealous? It is the workmates sniggering over a smoke break and you’re not in on the joke? Do you forever wonder what it would be like to share that post-coital ciggie?

Don’t get me wrong – smoking is disgusting and I am glad there has been a big cleanup to remove smokers from inside planes, offices, pubs, etc. But please let people make their own choices if it doesn’t harm anyone else.

If you need to be angry about something, go and find a more useful cause – NSB has the right idea in the awful cost to society (including many innocents) due to the misuse of grog.

I'm with the last few posts, let smokers kill themselves by all means, it less tax that non smokers have to contribute to the purse.

With one exception, self inflicted harm should not be treated as either a priority, or with public funding.

Want to smoke, or drink in excess, go ahead but pay your own medical bills.