Raining_again Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 Just saw this on the news! I'm not sure where I sit on this argument, can see the pros and cons.. On one hand I can see the health benefits, and the "projected" money savings for the nhs... but then on the other side; they would be saving money by stopping smoking, and it seems a bit of a disgrace that people can only stop on the thought of getting more money... seems a bit lazy! Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bard Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 It's not that hard to quit smoking, so I don't think anyone who doesn't have the volition to quit on their own terms is just gonna pocket the money and start again when the program terminates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
or else you will DIE Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 i don't understand how it would work...how would you prove you've stopped smoking? "i quit, give me £££" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan_Dare Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 If they want to quit, they should man up or get cancer. No Mercy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shorty Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 How do you prove you ever smoked in the first place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raining_again Posted May 20, 2010 Author Share Posted May 20, 2010 How do you prove you ever smoked in the first place? they take a breath test assumedly before, and after (every week) to make sure you have actually stopped. I'm pretty sure if you can quit with the bribery you can quit without it (and I have been a smoker) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 If they want to do the money angle, they should point out that you could save £100-£1000+ a year simply on the cost of the cigarettes, and advertise what you could buy in a year that you weren't smoking (e.g. a cheap car, aiming the adverts at students). "If you stopped smoking for a year....you could buy a car!" or something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goafer Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 What I don't like is how there are people who go out and do shit jobs day in, day out to earn their money and smokers will be getting money for quitting something they shouldn't have started to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 What I don't like is how there are people who go out and do shit jobs day in, day out to earn their money and smokers will be getting money for quitting something they shouldn't have started to begin with. It's like schools that have reward schemes just for naughty kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogleViper Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Sad but true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goafer Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Sad but true. What ever happened to the old "The nail that sticks out gets hammered*"? *Inb4the "Lol Drunk!" joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 What ever happened to the old "The nail that sticks out gets hammered*"? *Inb4the "Lol Drunk!" joke. Too Japanese? Anyway. Bloody smokers. They get all the rewards! The monies. The yellow teeth. The smell. Damn them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwarf Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 Is there any chance that people will start buying cigarettes, claiming they're smoking, then selling them on, following with their claim for the 'quit' money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookiablo Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 Outrageous. What an utter waste of money this would be. They got themselves into it, they should get themselves out of it - why should I have to pay my taxes to help someone who can't muster up the willpower to quit smoking? Fucking ridiculous. If they can't quit on their own accord then they quite simply deserve to die. I would say that treatment shouldn't be available but in some instances with the older generation I imagine the health concerns weren't so prominent when they were younger. Neverthelss, smokers, have chosen that option in life and they're aware of the consequences now. (that and I can see too much potential abuse of the system occurring). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwarf Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 I could give you the economics if you want Pookiablo. Going to give it to you even if you don't. - Smoking is an example of a demerit good, i.e a good that causes significant external costs to a third party. Without government intervention, these costs aren't paid for because the consumers and producers of cigarettes do not take into account the external costs that occur because of the consumption or production of this good. In this case, the negative externalities here arise because smoking inflicts monetary costs to the NHS, and cause the health of others to worsen. This could lead to losses in working days and therefore people would be less able to contribute to GDP. -There are many ways to tackle this market failure - currently tax is being imposed on cigarettes which has a limited effect, because demand for cigarettes is inelastic due to their addictive nature. However it does reduce demand for them slightly, and the tax revenue the government gains through this can be used to hypothecate (hypothecate meaning they can use the money to reduce external costs in other areas). Some of this revenue might be used in what they are doing here - in this case it's probably best to call the NHS money give-aways 'consumer subsidies'. This obviously has the desired effect of reducing demand and the over consumption of the demerit good in question. Quantity demanded should fall, supply would contract, and there would be an increase in price of cigarettes. So you can see why the government are doing it, because it reduces the undesirable effects you have in a free market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debug Mode Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 It's not that hard to quit smoking, so I don't think anyone who doesn't have the volition to quit on their own terms is just gonna pocket the money and start again when the program terminates. Fucking this. I quit very recently, sure I never smoked as long as the seasoned smokers have (I smoked for 2 years) but it's the first 3 days that are the real test. Once your done with those, keeping yourself occupied and within the confines you've disallowed yourself to smoke within, you're pretty much in the clear. Money shouldn't be wasted on this issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daft Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 They should just jack up the tax even more. Make it closer to £10 a packet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raining_again Posted May 20, 2010 Author Share Posted May 20, 2010 They should just jack up the tax even more. Make it closer to £10 a packet. It'll not be far off it before too long... i remember the good old days when a 20deck used to be under £4... I just think its crazy that in this society we have to bait people with money/cost of fegs to stop them smoking. I know, yes, I was once a smoker.. Truth be told I probably would still be if it wasn't for my bad health (not smoking caused but aggravated) but I am truly glad i'm off them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daft Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 Okay, make it closer to £15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwarf Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 They should just jack up the tax even more. Make it closer to £500 a packet. Yeah, they should make the tax even more regressive, that'll kill off the working class. It's not like we need them, all they do is sit around, smoking their lives away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ville Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 (edited) - Edited September 12, 2021 by Ville Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daft Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 Yeah, they should make the tax even more regressive, that'll kill off the working class. It's not like we need them, all they do is sit around, smoking their lives away. What exactly does it have to do with the working classes? Don't be stupid. It's an utterly pointless vice. I know a lot of people who smoke way too much and another who died because of this ridiculous habit. Honestly, I have no idea why anyone would smoke. Fucking idiots, the lot of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwarf Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 Every smoker is part of the working class. Fact. It was meant to be a hyperbole joke comment but obviously you don't have humour, and so failed to see it. Now for the part of this comment that I actually am not kidding about: Smokers are idiots. And there are many reasons why they do. One no-one ever mentions really is that people see others smoke, so they smoke themselves. If they never saw anyone else ever smoke, they wouldn't even think of smoking. That is why I will invent the invisible cigarette. It will blow yer mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daft Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 You're a dipshit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicktendo Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 Why don't they just deny people with smoking related illnesses free healthcare to fix it. Hell, while they're at it the can make fatty, fatty obese people pay for heart surgery. Your mess, you pay. It's not like there aren't any warnings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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