Would governments go for the WHO’s idea of a 75% retail tax on cigarettes?

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The World Health Organization seems to think charging more for cigarettes is the solution to cutting world-wide smoking rates.

The WHO is advocating a 75 per cent retail tax on cigarettes.

How would the idea go over here? It depends who you ask.

Smoking comes with a price, and not just per pack or carton, says Jack Boomer with the Clean Air Coalition.

“The government benefits through taxes, absolutely. The BC government collects upwards of $700 million in tobacco taxes a year. And we know that the federal government collects upwards of $700 million in taxes, as well.”

The province likely wouldn’t want to see that number drop, which could happen with pricier smokes.

But on the flip side, Boomer points out smoking takes a toll on the health care system. “There are tremendous costs to the health care system assisting people who have smoking-related illnesses and disease.”

“Direct and indirect health care costs in British Columbia are in the range of $2.1 billion and about $700 million are direct costs to the health care system. Then [with the] loss of productivity, lost time working, [there are] all sorts of indirect costs.”

He says around 70 per cent of smokers want to quit and know it’s an addiction, but they need to be inspired to quit, adding this sort of tax could do just that.

Boomer believes lost tobacco tax revenue would be offset by savings to the health care system.

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