Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Ofsmoke - Go On Have A Fag!
I am gemused to see that some academics have come up with a "novel" scheme for raising tax revenues from the fag industry, without raising taxes on the fags themselves.
Their solution?
Cap the profits of the fag manufacturers by imposing a form of "super profits tax".
The academics are of the view that Nanny could raise at least £500M a year by imposing a profits tax similar to the means used to control the price of water.
How amusing that they liken fags to water!
Writing in the journal Tobacco Control, they say reducing profits would allow for higher taxes without changing the price in shops.
Dr Branston of the University of Bath wants to create a regulator (Ofsmoke), similar to Ofwat, to limit the profits made by tobacco manufacturers.
All very academically "entertaining" no doubt. However, here is the real world reality:
1 Ofwat has proven itself to be bollocks at regulating the water industry. Just ask yourself how much water is being wasted, at a cost to the consumer of water shortages and hosepipe bans, by some of the water companies because they will not upgrade their infrastructure.
2 The cigarette industry directly employs approximately 70,000 people in the UK (not forgetting those employed in other sectors who benefit from the sale of fags, eg corner shops). Were Nanny to implement profit hostile legislation they would simply move their remaining operations offshore.
Nanny should allow people to indulge their vices, and not interfere in people's private lives.
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Before anyone starts questioning the profits of the tobacco ‘giants’ they should remember that the UK government already earn many times more than the manufacturers earn from each and every packet of cigarettes sold, by way of duty.
ReplyDeleteThe tobacco companies earn just a few pence in profit per packet whilst the government earn a few pounds thanks to their ever increasing taxes.
In essence, the government are the true tobacco ‘giants’, and now the greedy fuckers want even more?
When is someone going to seriously ask where all the fucking money goes?
Ah yes, Tobacco Control wants more dosh to squander on jollies to far-flung conferences, sorry, to continue to save Our Young People from taking up smoking.
ReplyDeleteThose whose pension funds or investments depend on the profits of evil big Tobacco might not be so keen.
(I'd so love to see the expression on a sanctimonious anti-smoker's face on realising that his old age depends on the profits of a company that he regards as in league with the devil).
Jay