How Australia is stubbing out smoking

Re:How Australia is stubbing out smoking by wavegeek on Wednesday February 01, 2017 @06:48AM (#13539948)

What we have here now is effectively prohibition with all that entails i.e. a huge black market.For people on average incomes, tobacco is now in effect an illegal drug.

The official stats on smoking exclude the black market and greatly understate smoking rates.

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Re:How Australia is stubbing out smoking by Broken_Hippo on Wednesday February 01, 2017 @11:38AM (#13542193)

This - and so much this.

I understand the urge to reduce smoking. I find it weird that prices are so high because I think it encourages a black market. Black markets are somewhat dangerous, as there aren't the quality controls in place. The other option seems to be to switch to nicotine gums most of the time, which carry their own health risks.

I find it even more appalling considering the dismal rates at which people actually succeed dropping the habit, which is something like 6%. For those already smoking, it might seem hopeless. I support some tax on them, even though I smoke, but I wish they'd save the highest price at least until we are better equipped to handle the addiction part of it.

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Re:How Australia is stubbing out smoking by jest3r1 on Wednesday February 01, 2017 @06:54AM (#13539981)

A third of cigarettes sold in Ontario are contraband, study suggests:

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/01/23/a-third-of-ci...

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