Lenihan should cut Big Tobacco down to size

IN the ongoing debate as to how best fix the hole in our public finances in the budget, little attention has been given to increasing excise duties, especially those relating to tobacco.

Substantial price increases on tobacco products, such as 50 cent on a packet of 20 cigarettes, leads to a win-win situation. Tobacco use goes down and revenue goes up, with significant health gains for the population.

Year on year the tobacco industry argues against price rises for fear that it may exacerbate smuggling and that it would be unfair on their customers. Strange how the tobacco industry never comments on how unfair it is on their customers that half of them will die before their time as a result of their addiction to the industry’s products.