> Here’s the problem with tobacco. It becomes a public expense when the community has to pay the health bill.

Depending on how you measure it, New Zealand may well be taking in more tax than the use of tobacco is costing.

It all gets quite murky quite fast (eg how much tax would the dead person have paid if they had lived longer?).

Don’t get me wrong though, I’m somehow supportive of more restrictions on tobacco and alcohol while keen on more liberal drug policies. It would seem that I need to think this all through.

https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releas...