It's tricky. I don't generally don't think prohibition is a good idea, but it's a tricky situation.
Regular smoking fucks your body up. People who don't smoke presumably pay the same tax rate as those that do not, and that's unfair to them. That said, it's hard to justify denying anyone access to healthcare.
I think a better idea is to continue to raise taxes. I know that every time you do that you're making the black market more lucrative, but it's really about finding a balance. I don't know the prices in NZ, but I imagine they're still a ways away from people buying bootleg cigs en masse. There's got to be some room for taxes.
Regular smoking fucks your body up. People who don't smoke presumably pay the same tax rate as those that do not, and that's unfair to them. That said, it's hard to justify denying anyone access to healthcare.
I think a better idea is to continue to raise taxes. I know that every time you do that you're making the black market more lucrative, but it's really about finding a balance. I don't know the prices in NZ, but I imagine they're still a ways away from people buying bootleg cigs en masse. There's got to be some room for taxes.
- Meatball
