Attn: Smokers - come on, cough up.

[The Last Word]

Buying a newspaper this morning, the woman in front of me purchases a packet of twenty cigarettes.

Now, I don't smoke. I never have, and I don't actually know many that do. Those that I do know tend to keep quiet and courteous about it. 'Do you mind if I smoke?' is usually as far as it goes. Of course not. Go ahead.

The woman in front of me goes ahead and hands over a five pound note. From this she is given eighty pence change.

Fucking hell. Why hadn't I noticed this before? For your average twenty-a-day-er that's ?29.40 a week, leading to around ?115 a month, then spiralling to a whopping ?1380 a year. A sizeable dent in anyones salary, let alone the less well-off. Jesus wept.

Doubtless they can be found cheaper, but it can surely only be a matter of pence. Are the Govt. trying to turn smoking into a reserve for well-off? I'm told that black market fags are big business these days, for which no-one involved can be blamed. Like I say, I don't smoke, but you've got my concern if you do. You really are being shafted aren't you? And where will it end?

--
"Let's do it..."

[Ace]

True, very true. The government slap a LOT of tax on top which is why they are so pricey compared to other countries.
Squaddies are ALWAYS getting ciggies when abroad and selling them on when they return, you can't blame them. Im NOT a smoker, never have been, but the cost is nothing to do with it, I like my lungs reletively clean

[Jonboy]

Nearly ?5.00 for a packet .In Germany it is ?3.10 about ?2.10 I have always brought mine home with me when on holiday, last time I looked it was just on the ?4.00. Right enough wish I could stop

[steve56]

i too am a nonsmoker but plenty of girls ive known smoke it makes me eyes water at times, one started at the age of 12 i wont mention any names but you will probaly know who i mean.

[Ace]

Does she get her tits out when she lights one up Stevie?

[steve56]

margaret does but thats another story,she really wears me out,lol.

[goldenballs]

I gave up fags about 4 years ago, but still smoke roll-ups. I can't say that I've really noticed a change in the price of a pack of tobacco over the years, I'm sure the price has gone up but no where near as much as fags.
I pay around ?2.09 for a 12.5 gram pack of Drum Gold (used to be called Drum Mild) and probably get through 2 packs a week. I'm not a big smoker but i reckon smokers would save a lot of money if they changed to roll-ups, they're not that bad despite the 'student' reputation that accompanies them.

[Deuce Bigolo]

Its pretty simple...higher prices = less smokers = cost savings for the nation
due to better health outcomes

The thing that has alwasy irked me about smoking is that it effects not just the smoker.Passive smoking is said to be worse than smoking itself
About time the tobacco big boys came up with the smoke free cigarette
I suppose its going to take a few more multi million dollar payouts from bar staff suffering from terminal lung cancer before they will react

cheers
B....OZ

PS If the governments were really serious about it they'd subsidise substitute products like Nicabate

[angus young]

My late father had a heart bypass in 1978 as a direct result of a lifetimes heavy smoking.
The ironic thing was that the guy who did the operation (Professor Philip Caves) dropped dead on a squash court from a heart attack!