Cutting back on smoking-Can we loose all that money

Blog Related / England

According to BBC News, in the UK  close to half of the population would vote for non smoking in public open spaces.

Hmmm. That’s a lot of numbers.

A strong anti smoking campaign started in the USA about 15-20 years or so ago that spread over to Britain. The British usually do what the americans do so it’s no wonder.

How is this new wave of anti smoking heee-ha effecting the economy tho? Alcohol and tobacco is one of the most profitable income stream for governments. The tax levied  on them are very high and the revenue they generate amounts to billions of dollars/pounds per year. Per Year!!

The industry employs perhaps millions of people and they are paying in other billions in income taxes and other taxes they generate with the money they spend buying alcohol and tobacco products and anything else.

Can the government just give up these huge amounts of money and support all those jobless homeless people the new law – by banning these products, would generate? Forcing people to quit their expensive smoking habit would leave the money in their pocket and not in the government’s. What would the government do to replace that money? Raise taxes? What taxes would they raise? Income or fuel tax, or pension tax, or food tax, or…?

With more and more computerization and the increase of the population I don’t think it’s a good idea for them thinking of being caring. Do they care? No they don’t care!  They just want to do something that touches a lot of people (non smokers) so they look good for the next election. The government never cared about the health of it’s citizens and for a good reason. They can’t make a living if they would ban everything that brings in huge revenues.

The car fuel for an example. Why not ban that when it generates millions of lung cancers each and every year. Potentially more than second hand smoking. Not the second hand smoking, but the exhaust fumes are responsible for all those lung cancers.  They say second hand smoke increases the chances of lung cancer by 24%. Compare to what? Compare to those that sucks in the smoke on the street, or compare to those that lives in an environment where they have to suck in exhaust fumes 24/7.

The subject of banning smoking was picked up by the americans as a marketing tool, if you will, to win at the next election. The millions of non smokers of course would support a candidate that lifts the smoke screen in front of them.

I am not saying smoking don’t stink. I am saying the issue is not for the benefit of people who don’t smoke but for the benefit of elections. The ban would not benefit the future of any government considering the current and long term  economic outlook situation.

I think before they  leap, they should think about replacing all those lost billions and find jobs and income for the millions that will loose their jobs and the millions of more people their family consist of. Until that, forget about smoking and keep the smoke screen where it belongs.

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