Should smokers pay for everyones hospital's ?

[Dave]

SMOKERS may have to help foot the bill for Kevin Rudd's $18 billion health reforms, with the Federal Government considering the health and revenue benefits of a hike in the tobacco tax.
The Government's National Preventative Health Taskforce has called for a tax rise in the May budget that would add $6.50 to the cost of a pack of 30 cigarettes. The Henry Tax Review, due to be released in the next three weeks, is considering the option.

A tobacco tax hike could raise two-thirds of the $3 billion Prime Minister Kevin Rudd needs to pay for the health and hospital sweeteners he has offered the states, as he tries to win their endorsement of his health reforms.

But up to 3 million smokers would be hit if the price of a pack of 30 cigarettes rose from around $13.50 to $20 per pack over a three-year period under the preventative health taskforce model. The taskforce reckons such a hefty hike would reduce the number of smokers by a million within a decade.

This could help the Government save some of the $31 billion that smoking costs the community each year.

It would be the first rise in the tax rate on tobacco in more than a decade and would bring Australia into line with the rest of the world.

Australia has the third lowest tobacco tax rate in the developed world at 68 per cent.

Most other countries charge tax rates of between 75 and 80 per cent.

A Newspoll found 88 per cent of Australians backed such a tax rise provided the money raised was spent on health.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon said she supported a Coalition plan to raise the tobacco tax last year and she asked her department for advice on tobacco tax five times before last year's budget.

The government needs to find an extra $3 billion to meet its promises on extra funding for elective surgery, emergency departments and aged care during the next four years.

It will need to find a further $15 billion to fund the reforms between 2015-2020.

Part of the money will come from cuts to government spending such as the $1 billion saved from cutting government payments to pharmacists and $2 billion by reducing the amount it pays drug companies under the drug subsidy scheme. But the cutbacks won't be limited to the health portfolio.

The government would not state its position on tobacco tax last night but Health Minister Nicola Roxon conceded more money would have to be found for health.

"It is impossible to deliver better health and better hospitals without acknowledging that the cost of those services is increasing."

Thought's ?

 

[Dave]

First taxing me on my Jack Danials and now trying to tax me on my Benson and Hedges.

I ain't voting for this dick again. Lets save everyone from themselves.

Dave.

 

[Nick_T]

'This could help the Government save some of the $31 billion that smoking costs the community each year.'

As a non-smoker I am all for an increase in the price of cigarettes, as far as I am concerned they should double in price. Especially as the health care system is in so much trouble atm. An increase in the price of tobacco has the two fold effect of providing more money to health care system and more importantly reducing the number of people that smoke.

I see no reason why my tax dollars should go to those whose illness is caused by there smoking something we all knows actually kills you. The freeded up monies and bed space that would have gone to the smokers could then go to those who are more deserving of a hospital bed.

While we are at it also raiset the tax on junk food, then we will really free up those hospital beds.

that my 2c anyway.....

 

[KraftyPg]

Yeah bugger it of course they should, they should pay for everything!!

Of course this comes from an ex smoker, if I hadn't given up I'd be saying screw the country find your taxes elsewhere but one has to adapt in this world. Then again if you know a bloke that knows a bloke he's no doubt getting you tax free dried tobacco anyway. The majority of people I know that still smoke don't buy tailor mades and taxing the tailors even more will just make the illegal trade stronger.

In the real world I don't give a crap who pays what but if one was being fair they should also tax junk food and alcohol in the same way as they tax smokes, the illness rates are just as high.

From some who pays for private health cover I also say screw it let the whole bloody country pay for their health cover you can't expect everything to be free in this world.

 

[KraftyPg]

I ain't voting for this dick again. Lets save everyone from themselves.

Without trying to make it a political fight what makes you think the other dick is any better?

It takes a certain kind of dick to become a politician your average dick just can't make the grade they all pass the test and therefore all have the same ideas, they just name them differently to make those who like one dick better than the other feel good.

 

[Dave]

So Nick your saying only smokers can get cancer ?

So all the smokers out there should pay for all the obese people out there aswell.

Tax the junk food, obesity is now the no 1 killer in this country.

Dave.

 

[stubbsy351]

I quit 2 years ago due to cost and have been much better off for it but if they increase the price to stupid levels then most people will quit and the government will have to find somewhere else to get is money from? just a thought!

 

[Dave]

Without trying to make it a political fight what makes you think the other dick is any better?

It takes a certain kind of dick to become a politician your average dick just can't make the grade they all pass the test and therefore all have the same ideas, they just name them differently to make those who like one dick better than the other feel good.

I hated Howard when he was in, but give us Howard back but without the AWA crap.

Howard didn't listen to the minoritys and try and try and save everyone from themselves.

All Kevin Rudd seems to be doing is taxing and getting the country into more debt and while he is at it doing SFA about the boat people.

Dave.

 

[KraftyPg]

Every party has raised taxes at one time or another, smokes go up nearly every year just like alcohol does. I remember when I used to buy smokes for less than $5 a packet then the government realised that taxing smokes and alcohol was one of the easiest money spinners they could create Rudd didn't invent tax hikes on smokes he's just following those before him.

Apart from anything this is just a proposed idea, he hasn't been given the green light so there is every chance it wont happen, but one thing that is certain to happen is the usual rise of about 20 cents a packet which happens so often these days the media have stopped reporting it.

I still say screw smokers, junk food eater and drinkers and make them pay extra, I pay for private cover to ensure I don't have to use the public system yet I'm still paying taxes for a public system which means I'm paying twice, why shouldn't everyone else have a go at paying. It's my choice to pay for private and still get taxed just like its everyone elses choice to smoke, drink and eat crap why shouldn't they pay too.

 

[will]

It couldn't hurt the public health system provided the money does find its mark and not into the coffers for additional stimulus (or help pay for the stimulus borrowing).
I don’t smoke any more and do feel sorry for smokers because of the no smoking in bars etc regulations, but the health impacts are not entirely on the individual. Answer me this; why should my/your taxes provide medical assistance to informed people who choose to smoke knowing the health implications?
My dad recently died (Feb 28) from smoking related cancer so it’s not like I don’t know what I’m talking about, he knew the risks and chose to keep smoking. Perhaps I’d still have him around if the tax was high enough to discourage him from smoking years ago.

For those of you who do smoke. Next time you see someone else smoke, think about what it’s doing to them, and they know and are fine with it. Now don’t they look stupid?

 

[Jason]

It's a load of crap, ok, let's tax the sun, all those people getting skin cancer can help pay for the hospitals......

Oh hang on, how will we collect that?

Ummm...maybe we should put more tax on alcohol, drink drivers clog up the hospitals too!

Maybe, in a perfect world, we would have a government that knows how to effectively manage the money they collect. Perhaps a successful Australian businessman should be PM? Clive Palmer or Frank Lowey? These guys don't get where they are by waisting money.

Or we could allow them to continue spending millions and millions of dollars on consultancies, impact studies etc etc

 

[joshy]

Tax the smokers. everyone else has gota put up with breathing the crap in around em. Smokers should have to put a box over there head whilst smoking, that way i can walk out of the pub/shops/anywhere and breathe air not smoke.

 

[Dave]

It's a load of crap, ok, let's tax the sun, all those people getting skin cancer can help pay for the hospitals......

Oh hang on, how will we collect that?

Ummm...maybe we should put more tax on alcohol, drink drivers clog up the hospitals too!

Maybe, in a perfect world, we would have a government that knows how to effectively manage the money they collect. Perhaps a successful Australian businessman should be PM? Clive Palmer or Frank Lowey? These guys don't get where they are by waisting money.

Or we could allow them to continue spending millions and millions of dollars on consultancies, impact studies etc etc

I can see why you made Admin.

Hey Josh since your Nav would have worse visibilty now since its higher should you be taxed extra incase you run over a baby to pay for the hospital treatment ?

Everything can harm you.

Dave.

 

[shaggy]

Hi Guys

To tax or not to tax???.As my wife is a smoker and in the medical game you would think she should know better but you would be suprised how many doctors and nurses suck on bungers.My dad is an ex smoker he had to have a major operation a few years ago and it was because he smoked that was the problem.Doctor told to quit smoking or no operation.He when cold turkey,not bad for someone had smoked for about 40 years and he hasnt smoked since then.

Shane

ps: I have never smoked,have had asthma since i was an ankle biter

Shane

 

[Matt76]

I can understand something has to be done, but taxing the smokers seems to me like a cop out. They will have full backing of non smokers, and probably all get a nice pat on the back for raising millions. Its not really hitting the target for me though.

Did upping the tax on premixed alcohol fix the binge drinking problems?

 

[Old.Tony]

I was a smoker myself. I went cold turkey one day, I said "enough is enough, I am not going to be held to ransom by these stupid sticks made by companies that only make them to keep people addicted".

We are only harming ourselves by smoking. We make a conscious choice to start this habit - which is started not because we need to, but because we want to.

Fast foods, on the other hand, aren't entirely the cause for obesity. You can become obese by eating home cooked meals every night. The key is quantity, and must be compared to how much physical exercise you do each and every day. It comes down to a very simple and often not-understood equation:

(The fat and fuel in what you eat) minus (the energy you burn each day) = fat stored (roughly).

Eat *anything* in excess and you'll gain weight. The human body by its very nature will try to store fuel in case there's not as much available tomorrow (supposedly this is from our days as hunter gatherers).

Moderation and regular exercise are the key there, not taxes. People need to eat, and fast food chains like McDonalds are actually providing some meals that are low in fats and in moderation are not all that unhealthy.

Eating is mandatory, smoking isn't. I'd tax the smokers first and if I was going to start on the obese campaign, I'd make people pay tax based on their body mass index.

The option that I want to vote for isn't there:

* Smokers should foot the bill for treating smoking-related illnesses.

 

[Krankin]

Dave,
how can you put up such posts and not expect some agro.
Like waving a red rag.

For the record,
I used to smoke like a chimney, my FREE and LEGAL RIGHT,
and my father too died recently from lung cancer,
and I voted NO, go and get FUGGED RUDD.

 

[jayk]

they provide free rooms to shoot up herion, but dont want anyone to smoke?
should you have a box over ya nav when u do a burnout josh, the tyre smoke is prob worse for ya?!

 

[joshy]

I can see why you made Admin.

Hey Josh since your Nav would have worse visibilty now since its higher should you be taxed extra incase you run over a baby to pay for the hospital treatment ?

Everything can harm you.

Dave.

Thats different. Thats taxing in case something happens, its an unknown. Smoking is known to cause problems to the smokers and people around em. "every cigarette is doing you damage"

 

[jayk]

p.s. not that you do burnouts of course!