So - Good Budget or Bad Budget?

[d000hg]

Since when was a pasty junk food?

[original PM]

Firstly, please provide a citation.

Secondly... I thought luxury foods were taxed more.

well a bit of googling states that obesity is costing the NHD between 4 and 22 Billion per year depending on what report you read - expected to reach £50 bn by 2050

smoking related deaseases cost the NHS approx 5 BN per year - however any disease of the heart or repiratory system seems to be classed as 'smoking' related - I am not sure how many 'non smokers' die of 'smoking' related deseases.

Tobacco tax generates £11Bn per year - which gives a 6BN profit for smokers (based purely on tobacco sales remember smokers will also pay NI etc which also contribute to the NHS)


Interestingly enough

8 out of 10 non smokers live past 70
5 out of 10 long term smokers live past 70

[d000hg]

OK, but saying obesity "costs more" needs to be qualified by cost per person when deciding how much tax should be due on food/booze compared to fags.

And of course remember booze is a contributing factor to obesity (I'd imagine a big factor), and that is already taxed a lot.

[original PM]

A very good point and difficult to ascertain as a definition of obese seems a little tough to pin down.

Although I did stumble across

"Around 86% of lung cancer deaths in the UK are caused by tobacco smoking and, in addition, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) states that tobacco smoking can also cause cancers of the following sites: upper aero-digestive tract (oral cavity, nasal cavity, nasal sinuses, pharynx, larynx and oesophagus), pancreas, stomach, liver, bladder, kidney, cervix, bowel, ovary (mucinous) and myeloid leukaemia. 7"

Now I can understand about upper aero digestive tract. but liver, bladder, kidney etc. not convinced they are smoking related but I suppose the problem is many smokers are also drinkers so....

anyway who wants to live forever!

[amcdonald]

well a bit of googling states that obesity is costing the NHD between 4 and 22 Billion per year depending on what report you read - expected to reach £50 bn by 2050

smoking related deaseases cost the NHS approx 5 BN per year - however any disease of the heart or repiratory system seems to be classed as 'smoking' related - I am not sure how many 'non smokers' die of 'smoking' related deseases.

Tobacco tax generates £11Bn per year - which gives a 6BN profit for smokers (based purely on tobacco sales remember smokers will also pay NI etc which also contribute to the NHS)


Interestingly enough

8 out of 10 non smokers live past 70
5 out of 10 long term smokers live past 70

And how much is our government costing us through waste, corruption and the promotion of outsourcing ?

Perhaps the government and civil service should bear an incompetence tax

[original PM]

a very good point also -- however smokers are an easy target

it is highly unlikely that the pointless fu<kers in govn are interested in doing anything but lining their own pockets at the tax payers expense.

[Zoiderman]

Tax smokers as much as you can, smelly selfish cocks