By Dan Parker
The cigarette price rise overnight has seen the Government accused of not going far enough, as well as being hypercritical for refusing to do the same thing with alcohol.
The Ministry of Health estimates smoking costs New Zealand $1.9 billion a year, while the social and health costs of alcohol damage are double that.
Even so, the Government has singled out tobacco alone for a major excise increase.
“We actually want to see people stop smoking, we hope they don't pay us that excise because they no longer smoke but in the case of alcohol that's simply not true,” says Prime Minister John Key.
“There are clearly some people with health issues because of alcohol but the vast bulk of New Zealanders can moderately drink and it doesn't affect their health.”
Addiction specialist Doug Sellman says Mr Key's stance looks hypocritical especially in the wake of the Law Commission recommendations.
“It looks like some sort of special arrangement between the Government and the alcohol industry but I think we need an explanation because it does seem irrational to do it for tobacco and not for alcohol,” says Mr Sellman.
Unsurprisingly tobacconists agree.
Shop keeper Nelson Chamberlain says he is sick of overly controlling governments.
“I believe in freedom of the individual and the nana state should go away,” he says.
Mr Chamberlain expects to lose 15 percent of his business overnight and he may be in for another shock.
Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia says the next move is to force shops to hide cigarettes from view under the shop counter.
“The aim is to stop the uptake by young people,” says Ms Turia.
The tax move is a weaker version of what's happening in Australia.
The Rudd Government has announced a 25 percent tax increase on tobacco and in a world first will force cigarettes to be retailed in plain packaging with only a health warning - despite the tobacco companies threatening legal action.
“Cigarettes are not cool, cigarettes kill people, therefore the government makes no apology what so ever for what it's doing,” says Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
Mr Key says there are no plans to adopt the plain packaging here because the advice he's had is that raising the price is the best way to reduce smoking.
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