July 1st 2007

[Moo]

And what exactly would that solve? I thought the reason healthcare is free over there (unless you have private care) is because of taxes that come from cigarettes. If all smokers are shot, the taxes won't be coming in.

[Big J R]

Shoot all female 4 x 4 drivers on the school runs.

 

That should solve half the air polution problem !

[The Invisible Man]

Do you know how many 4x4s are used for school runs? In fact there are very few, a very small percentage of school run vehicles. The problem is NOT that they are 4x4s but that so many little darlings are too fragile to be allowed to walk to school. It is the sheer number of cars regardless of their means of transmission that is the problem with the school run.

 

No, Moo, that is not how the NHS is funded. Incidentally we pay far more tax on alcohol than most other Eurpean countries. Oh yes and petrol and diesel too....

[Moo]

I wasn't really sure. I heard somewhere it was from cig taxes. Here we pay less for smokes, and petrol (or gasoline, as we call it) but pay out the a*se for health care. We pay astronomical rates for insurance, and then even more at the doctor.

[The Invisible Man]

It sounds like an old wives tale, or possibly deliberate propaganda by the tobacco companies (perish the thought). It is of course true that considerable revenue is raised by tax on tobacco - but it nowhere near pays for the NHS, and is not ring fenced - you could just as well say it pays for defence, or education, or anything else you like.

 

As for our health service, once the envy of the world.... our system is that we pay a lot in tax, we also pay National Insurance, then we get a cr@p inefficient health service after a five year waiting list - if you don't die first! Then when you do get in you probably get MRSA...

 

It is a sobering thought that the health systems in Spain and France, which we once jeered at and belittled, are now infinitely better than ours.

 

I believe they pay vast tax on booze in Scandanavia, but it's dirt cheap in the more southerly European nations. Even British brands... madness.

[chilled out entertainer]

It is a fact that an average smoker who dies of a smoking related illness has contributed more by way of taxes over his/her life of smoking than it has cost to nurse him/her in their last few months. this overpayment will become extinct when as the govt wishes people all over the land give up over the next few years. where is this shortflal going to come from?? the MOTORIST of course. that is a bigger market than the smoking population and you cannot give up driving with such poor expensive substitues on offer.

[The Invisible Man]

These are very dubious pseudo-figures. Most people will pay more in tax than they "cost" in healthcare expenses, if they are fortunate enough to enjoy a reasonably healthy life. That is the idea of a health service, that care is available to those that need it, paid for by all. The very same "average smoker" will pay more in income tax and other taxes (includiong the outrageuosly high fuel taxes, as you say).

[Big J R]

Well, I don't drive. I CAN, but chose not to, so I fund the Government by smoking !

[Moo]

As long as you do your part to keep the country running, I support you.

[Ian_W]

If you wish to smoke freely whilst abroad or on holiday - just book a room with a balcony - you can then smoke freely - even if you book into a non-smoking room.

 

As long as the smoke does not enter the room, you are fine

 

You will find a hotel with balcony's usually provide astrays in those rooms, even if non-smoking.

[Moo]

Never thought about doing that. Then again, we always book a smoking room. We'll have to keep it in mind for if a hotel is out of smoking rooms and only has non smoking to offer. It will save on having to find another one.