Tobacco products not prices cause huge health inequalities in our society

WHILE the 50c price increase on a packet of 20 cigarettes and related products was disappointingly low, Finance Minister Brian Cowen did recognise that price is a valuable tool in dealing with the serious issue of tobacco addiction.

In doing so, he became the second finance minister to publicly call for the social partners to assist Government in this regard, as tobacco products are included in the consumer price index and price increases have a knock-on effect on wage inflation. It is ironic that it is respective finance ministers and not the social partners themselves, given their stated concern for the health of the most vulnerable in our society, who are calling for this level of cooperation.

It is well past time that wage increases should be linked in any way with the price of tobacco products. Tobacco products and not tobacco prices are the major cause of the huge health inequalities that are seen in our society.