About to cost $1 per cigarette in Oz

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
15,441
150
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If you thought the excise taxes here are bad, well it's about to get a lot more expensive to smoke in Australia.
Cigarette taxes will jump by a hefty 13.7 per cent on Monday, the second of four outsized increases in as many years.

The excise on a pack of 20 will climb from $8.13 to $9.25, an increase of $1.12. The excise on apack of 40 will climb from $16.26 to $18.51.

If fully passed on, it will push the price of a packet of 40 above $30 and push the price of some packets of 20 above $20. The increase means the price of cigarettes for casual smokers will approach $1 a stick.
A dollar to light up: smokers brace for another jump in tobacco excise
 

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
18,326
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What I fail to understand is why people still smoke knowing the risks of lung cancer, heart disease etc. I smoked up until about thirty years ago. At one time I smoked over two packs a day. The biggest problem is that our government is hooked on the tax revenue from tobacco.
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
What I fail to understand is why people still smoke knowing the risks of lung cancer, heart disease etc. I smoked up until about thirty years ago. At one time I smoked over two packs a day. The biggest problem is that our government is hooked on the tax revenue from tobacco.
My guess is the same reason people skydive or tailgate or go over falls in barrels or sign up for military service: It happens to the other guy
 

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
18,326
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My guess is the same reason people skydive or tailgate or go over falls in barrels or sign up for military service: It happens to the other guy

I'm sure there is some of that in it. I was in our air force for five years back in the sixties. The main attraction for me, I thought, was probably the travel. Where else would I get three months paid vacation in Europe.
 

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
29,151
3
36
London, Ontario
What I fail to understand is why people still smoke knowing the risks of lung cancer, heart disease etc. I smoked up until about thirty years ago. At one time I smoked over two packs a day. The biggest problem is that our government is hooked on the tax revenue from tobacco.

The problem is that once you're addicted, the option to simply 'make a choice' can be incredibly difficult for some, which holds true for just about any addiction. They say the average number of attempts it takes to quit smoking is around 7 to 10, I think.

But I think you're bang on with one thing, the government is hooked on the tax revenue. Raising prices through increased taxes doesn't help people quit smoking, but they'll act like it does. Makes it look like they're "doing something". And they'll continue to legislate restrictions on where, when, and who can smoke.....yet not really do too much towards actually assisting people in quitting. I don't know about now but at one time it was standard that smoking cessation aids were not covered under any prescription plans. And I realize that not everyone has a private prescription drug plan and would have to pay out of pocket for any cessation aids anyway, but I think it indicates a mindset in society, you know? As if the attitude is, well everyone knows you shouldn't smoke so therefore you should just stop.

And I know this because I've made at least 4 or 5 serious attempts to quit, and I've failed each and every time. I've sought help from medical professionals, and they'll write you a prescription for Zyban or something and send you on your way. You're left to your own devices to figure out a support system and devise a plan, which seems very odd to me. How many other addicts are made to design their own path away from addiction? No wonder it takes 7-10 attempts before success.
 

skookumchuck

Council Member
Jan 19, 2012
2,467
0
36
Van Isle
I quit two years ago after smoking for 55 years. Easier for me because i was in the hospital for three weeks waiting for and having 5 bypasses then struggling to have my kidneys work again. They put the patch on me, which worked very well indeed. The patch is free in BC for one complete process. However, if you do not really want to quit you are hooped.
 

DaSleeper

Trolling Hypocrites
May 27, 2007
33,676
1,665
113
Northern Ontario,
I quit, don't know exactly how long ago, cold turkey, because the price hit $1. a pack, a promise I had made to myself a few years before, when the prices started climbing.
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
108,893
11,177
113
Low Earth Orbit
1978ishh the same time I started. I said I would quit when they hit $2. Well, that didn't work,MIT until they hit $9. 7 years later and they've almost doubled. I still crave now and again. Nicotina es una perra.
 

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
55,430
6,996
113
Washington DC
What I fail to understand is why people still smoke knowing the risks of lung cancer, heart disease etc. I smoked up until about thirty years ago. At one time I smoked over two packs a day. The biggest problem is that our government is hooked on the tax revenue from tobacco.
Thirty years ago the data on cigarettes and health effects had been widely known for 20 years. Yet you still smoked. So if you want to understand why people smoke knowing the risks, all you need to ask yourself is why you smoked knowing the risks.
 

Praxius

Mass'Debater
Dec 18, 2007
10,609
99
48
Halifax, NS & Melbourne, VIC
What I fail to understand is why people still smoke knowing the risks of lung cancer, heart disease etc. I smoked up until about thirty years ago. At one time I smoked over two packs a day. The biggest problem is that our government is hooked on the tax revenue from tobacco.

For me it's just mere habit. I've been smoking since 2006 and plan to quit at the age of 35 (next year)


I've gone for a while without a smoke and have no major withdraws. I smoke as a means or excuse to get away from my work in the day and step outside for a few minutes for a break.


Before I smoked, I was just at the computer or doing whatever at my job, attempting to take a break, but usually the phone would ring or someone would ask me to do something and I'd end up with no break.


This way, I've stepped outside, I've got a smoke in my hand and I can't come back in to do whatever the hell you want me to do. I'll be back in a few minutes. In the meantime, p*ss off.