I used to smoke 40 a day so it balances out

Good. Because I have suffered poor health in the past due to smokers, and continue to do so.

I'm not going to debate the pro's and con's to smoking becasuse I have given my opinions in the other thread about smoking.

On this topic, it's a bloody disgrace! I've not taken up a past time that deliberately puts my health and others at risk, and I don't get any weekly money!

Yet another same old random "initiative" from government. Should we care? Probably not. Do we really care? Probably not. But do we have plenty to say about it? Of course.

I remember when life was a little more interesting. Or did I make that up in my head?

Di I get it? I smoke about two bowls a month...Even just £12 a year would make sure I could buy my next tin of tobacco!
Is drinking going to get this attention next?

As I've said, I smoke very little, I enjoy it, but I can't see how it can be addictive. I'd like to think I'm considerate of others when I smoke, I'll walk behind everyone on the walk to the next pub and if someone wants to talk to me they accept I've got my pipe out. I know other smokers aren't as considerate and I think that's a great shame.

I think the proposal is terrible, the money is such a little amount to the individual, but so much for the country...

I'm a Mac addict, anything for me???

Yes. A free Macpro fully maxed out.

I don't see why they don't do something like hike the price up to £50 a packet or something.

That will either give people the incentive to stop smoking or people will not be able to afford to smoke.

+1. Definitely.

Illegal / semi-legal imports already account for a high percentage of tabs smoked in the UK. The price per pack is already 1000% more than it would be with no tax. A pack of fags costs the same as a small bottle of whisky, which was Maggy's target back in the 70s.

Any further increase in duty would simply increase the amount of black market trade. The raised amount of money involved would attract organised crime, and we'd be in a prohibition style wave of bloody violence.

Imagine over a million people all looking for blood because they can't afford to smoke. You think chavs are violent normally? See one who has nicotine withdrawal. He'll kill you for it. I've come pretty close myself.

then i would have to get more of my tobacco from Europe instead of just some of my tobacco
free market and all that sort of thing …

The bottom line is the government don't want large numbers of smokers to stop as they make far too much money out of it.

If they did want large numbers to stop it would be more sensible to provide the drugs, which are available, to help stop smoking to people for free.

Currently HMRC loses between 2.8-4.1 billion in lost revenue through people buying non duty paid tobacco products.
The best way to stop people smoking is through education. Raising the cost to a prohibitive level r banning it will not work . Just look at the war on drugs and how thats been "won"

As with anything education is key. Once again, the government seek to create more crappy policies as band-aids for gaping wounds. Wow. Shocking.

That and the inneffectiveness of nannying bans always fall flat on thier faces.
Prohibit anything like drugs and you exacerbate the problem.