Anti-tobacco group ASH is spearheading a campaign to introduce a levy on sales of tobacco. Over 120 health groups have said they want an annual levy to pay for an enhanced anti-smoking media campaign, and for cessation advice clinics.
With more than 75% of the price of a packet of cigarettes already going on tax, the calls have been rejected by both the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association, and the Tobacco Retailers Alliance, which has accused ASH of “an onslaught on a legal product and the legitimate small, community-based retailers who sell it”, and urged the Government to put the group under scrutiny.
Giles Roca, Director General of the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association, said: “Aside from the unwarranted intrusion on individual freedoms, this continued drive to over-regulate the UK tobacco market will simply create greater opportunities for organised crime groups involved in smuggling on a massive scale. These proposals are an unprecedented, un-evidenced, dogmatic attack on a legal industry that would have hugely damaging consequences.”
Publishing the ambitious five-year tobacco strategy Smoking Still Kills, Peter Kellner Chair of the report’s Editorial Board and President, YouGov, commented: “The NHS is facing an acute funding shortage and any serious strategy to address this must tackle the causes of preventable ill health. The tobacco companies, which last year made over a £1bn in profit should be forced to pay for the harm they cause.”
Currently, it is estimated that £2bn is spent by the NHS treating smoking-related illness, while £12bn is raised in tax on tobacco products, around 10% of the total NHS budget.
Kellner added: “Investing in evidence-based measures that reduce smoking is highly cost effective; for example Stop Smoking Services have been shown to be one of the most cost effective ways to improve people’s health. Placing a levy on tobacco companies to fund such work is a win-win – saving both money and lives.”
Suleman Khonat, National Spokesperson for the Tobacco Retailers’ Alliance said: “Government red tape is already strangling many small businesses like mine. On top of this, it seems that ASH is intent on reducing smoking rates – whatever the actual evidence says – and the cost to small shops and communities. Tobacco contributes about a third of a typical small shops’ turnover and generates substantial footfall so it’s crucial to many livelihoods. This is a legal product and adults understand the risks. It’s time that the Government says enough is enough and that ASH’s law of diminishing returns, lack of evidence-based approach to smoking control comes under proper scrutiny.”
