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Price hike prompts smokers to quit

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Fri, 06 Jan 2012 9:06a.m.

A higher excise tax put on tobacco on January 1

A higher excise tax put on tobacco on January 1

A hike in tobacco prices has prompted an influx of smokers to quit.

Quitline is putting a surge in numbers down to the new higher excise tax put on tobacco on January 1.

Paula Snowden, Quitline's Chief Executive, says this January they have already had over 1,000 people using the service - much higher than this time last year.

“When [smokers] hand over $20 and they get two gold coins back when they buy their packet of cigarettes they think, ‘This is ridiculous’. They decide, that’s it, let’s get some help and let’s quit.”

Mrs Snowden says some people may not notice the increase at first but it will start to bite smokers in the pocket.

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Comments

11 Jan 2012 01:38p.m.

Matty wrote:

@ nick a - Yes but alcohol can be consumed in safe quantities also, cigarettes are dangerous at any level.. Also most alcohol related treatments (from accidents, fights etc) are much much cheaper to treat than the various health conditions associated with longtime smokers.. Alcohol when used responsibly is safe, and I pity the people who use it in there rants to try and justify their habits.

06 Jan 2012 11:46a.m.

nick a wrote:

hahahaha....alcohol is next!!! non smokers your apathy on this sublect will cost you also...when they decide they dont wont you to drink and start massively increasing the price of alcohol to reflect cost of it on society....and i will be LMFAO.

06 Jan 2012 10:22a.m.

Max wrote:

Time to do your own research guys and grow your own. At the worst it will taste so bad you might decide to give up entirely rather than fork out loads of money for your fix.

06 Jan 2012 10:16a.m.

Gavin McLean wrote:

This taxing smokers does not stop them smoking any who thinks so is not in the real world i live in. My wife smokes as well as quite a few relatives ( i donot myself) all of whom would buy smokes and other stuff as they only think about their own selfish habits rather than feed their childern. My main concern is all those childern who are already suffering because of their parents habits are just going to suffer more. The goverment is only being greedy if they want to stop people smoking espically those in need, the whole system needs to change. Instead of giving benifits just pay the costs of living for those on a benift so they cant spend their money on smokes and other stuff and they will be better able to look after their childern.In conclusion taxing smokers doesnt hurt them it hurts their families more, get it right goverment.