Latest news with #smokers
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Tobacco industry's sly promotion tactics must be countered with force
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Advertisement Each year on May 31, the world observes World No Tobacco Day, a vital occasion to confront one of the most preventable global health threats. Launched by the World Health Organization in 1988, the initiative mobilised action against the tobacco industry's deadly influence. Appropriately, this year's campaign will focus on the industry's promotion of nicotine products. It puts the spotlight squarely on how tobacco companies continue to lure young consumers and entrench addiction under the guise of modernity and choice. Tobacco remains a global killer, claiming over 8 million lives annually and causing untold suffering through diseases such as cancer, heart disease and chronic respiratory conditions. The toll is not limited to smokers – second-hand smoke endangers millions more. Over the years, countries have embraced the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, banning public smoking, mandating warning labels and restricting advertising. However, weak enforcement and legal loopholes persist. Advertisement
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Smokers pay tens of thousands more for life insurance and mortgage protection
Smokers pay tens of thousands of euro more for life insurance and mortgage protection than non-smokers, according to new research from price comparison and switching website . For mortgage protection – a legal requirement for anyone taking out a mortgage in Ireland – a 38-year-old couple can pay as little as €35.60 a month for €300,000 in cover over 30 years as long as they're both non-smokers. However, if they both smoke, the cost jumps to €70.09 – an increase of almost 97 per cent, or nearly €12,500 over the life of the policy. Adding €100,000 in specified illness cover to the same policy would cost €101.09 a month for non-smokers. But smokers would pay at least €191.82, a difference of almost €33,000 over the term. READ MORE The gap is even wider for life cover which pays out a tax-free lump sum if one of the insured dies during the term of the policy and is considered an essential part of financial planning for families. A non-smoking couple could secure €300,000 in cover over 30 years for about €51 a month, while smokers would pay at least €103.88 – a difference of almost 103 per cent, or almost €19,000 over the lifetime of the policy. And for a stand-alone specified illness policy worth €150,000 over 30 years, non-smokers would pay €195.87 a month, while smokers would be charged €333.44 – almost €50,000 extra for the same level of cover. The research was carried out in May by comparing prices for smokers and non-smokers from the country's five leading life insurers: Aviva, Irish Life, New Ireland, Royal London Ireland, and Zurich Life. While smoking has declined in recent decades, about 16 per cent of adults aged 15 and over in Ireland still smoke either daily or occasionally, according to Census 2022. However, many more vape – and vapers, even if they've never smoked in their life, will still be treated as smokers by life insurers. [ Cost of health insurance rises over 12% in a year, with some policies jumping 25.6% Opens in new window ] 'Quitting smoking really is good for your pocket as well as your health,' said Daragh Cassidy of 'It's not just the cost of cigarettes that you'll save on. As our research shows, the price you pay as a smoker for important life insurance products is often close to double what a non-smoker would pay. This means kicking the habit can literally save you tens of thousands of euro.' He added that people who vape are also considered smokers by insurance companies. 'The good news is that if you're already paying for life cover, but decide to quit, once you've been off cigarettes, as well as any nicotine replacement products, for at least 12 months, you can apply to be reassessed as a non-smoker and potentially pay a lower price for your existing cover.'
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Majority of Malaysians support higher cigarette taxes, Merdeka Center survey finds
KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 — Two-thirds of Malaysians support higher cigarette taxes, provided they are implemented in a moderate and predictable manner, according to a survey conducted by the Merdeka Center. The findings revealed that 66 per cent of Malaysians back an increase in cigarette taxes, while 25 per cent oppose the move, and nine per cent remain unsure. The strongest support came from those aged 21 to 30, with over 84 per cent in favour, while opposition to tax hikes was highest among respondents aged 51 to 60. The survey also found significant differences in support based on gender and smoking status. Among women, 72 per cent supported the tax hike, compared to 61 per cent of men. Opposition was higher among men, at 33 per cent, compared to 16 per cent among women. Additionally, 65 per cent of respondents supported implementing a multi-year tax calendar for cigarette excise hikes, allowing for moderate and predictable increases. Among respondents aged 18 to 20, 78 per cent favoured the idea, with the highest support seen in the 21 to 30 age group (80 per cent). Support decreased with age, falling to 53 per cent among those aged 60 and above. Women were more supportive of a multi-year tax calendar, with 66 per cent in favour compared to 64 per cent of men. By smoking status, former smokers were the most supportive, with 70 per cent backing the policy, while current smokers showed the least support at 60 per cent. A majority of Malaysians (79 per cent) also agreed that curbing illicit trade would help reduce crime and increase tax revenue for essential services such as health, education, and infrastructure. Non-Malay Bumiputera and Malay Bumiputera respondents were the most supportive, with 86 per cent and 84 per cent respectively agreeing that addressing illicit trade would yield these benefits. This was followed by Chinese respondents (80 per cent) and Malays (79 per cent). Indian respondents were less convinced, with 62 per cent expressing support. As Malaysia holds the Asean chairmanship this year, 72 per cent of respondents said the country should prioritise excise tax reform and cross-border enforcement to curb smuggling. The survey was conducted by the Merdeka Center between March 27 and April 17, 2025, involving 1,210 Malaysians aged 18 and above across all 14 states, including Sabah and Sarawak. Random stratified sampling was employed based on ethnicity, gender, age, and location, with interviews conducted by phone.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Aussie smoker lashes tough new laws on cigarettes: 'Controlling measure'
An Aussie smoker has lashed the latest changes to the country's cigarette laws, arguing the government intervention is about 'control' instead of health. Menthol, rum and clove-flavoured cigarettes and those with crush balls in the filter will be banned in an attempt to make smoking as unappealing as possible. The new measures will also outlaw certain ingredients, flavours and accessories. A woman, who said she only smoked when she had a drink, questioned the real motive for the tough new laws on cigarettes due to take effect on July 1. 'The lady I spoke to at the tobacconist said it was more of a controlling measure in Australia,' she said in a TikTok video. 'We're already paying enough and yes we choose to smoke nicotine. 'I just don't think it's right for the government to control what we're buying because we're already paying for it.' 'To find out that you cannot buy a 25 pack, a 30 pack, a 40 pack, a 50 pack…you can only buy a 20-pack from the first of July, that's just unbelievable. I don't have words. 'I just feel it's bulls***. I'd love to hear your opinion. I'm just like 'what the f***.' The video sparked debate from both sides and garnered almost 2,500 comments. 'We should all get together and petition - if you don't smoke, awesome. But for the smokers - it's our life, we are adults. We know the dangers. The government has no right to gouge the way they do and control us,' one wrote. 'As a non-smoker I find this really wrong,' a second said. 'The government should not be controlling people who smoke. The government already make enough out of smokers,' another said. Many questioned why the government didn't apply the same laws to alcohol. 'Imagine they treated alcohol the same as smokes,' a third wrote. 'Only basic spirits, no differences in flavour, in the same non-description packaging covered in warnings and only in a hip flask size but taxed to the roof. It wouldn't happen but alcohol is more dangerous to communities and has as many health risks.' 'All the people commenting about smokers costing the health system. No problem drinking, no problem gambling, no problem obesity. Are you serious,' another agreed. Cigarette manufacturers will also be banned from using words like 'smooth' and 'gold' because they can create the false impression that some products were less harmful. Cigarette prices in Australia are among the highest in the world due to heavy taxation. A standard 20 pack costs more than $50, depending on the brand, with 70 per cent of the retail price ($35) going to the government in excise tax. Cigarette excise taxes actually increase twice a year. On March 1, the tax per cigarette rose by 2.8 per cent to $1.27816, up from $1.24335. The regular tax hikes on cigarettes have created a booming black market, with millions now buying illegal, counterfeit cigarettes sold in convenience stores. Despite the tax increases, government revenue from tobacco has plummeted due to fewer people buying the expensive product - dropping 39 per cent in just four years, from a peak of $16billion in 2019/20 to $9.8billion in 2023/24. The ATO estimated that nearly one in five cigarettes smoked in Australia came from criminal syndicates that evade taxes and sell at deep discounts. Illegal cigarettes are significantly cheaper, costing between $10 and $20 per pack—less than half the price of legal smokes.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Colchester homes evacuated as fire spreads to gas main
Homes had to be evacuated after a fire caused by a discarded cigarette spread to a gas started on some decking at a property in Erica Walk, Colchester at about 13:10 BST on Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze spread to a gas meter and the gas main, leading to people being told to leave nearby service has urged smokers to ensure they put out their cigarettes completely. Crew manager Dave Farrant said: "When we arrived, the property was full of smoke, which was coming in through the windows. "Where the fire had spread to the gas main, the crew worked quickly to evacuate nearby properties and isolate the gas."If you smoke, please make sure to properly stub out your cigarette before discarding it, as it only takes a small ember from the lit cigarette to start a fire."He added: "With the warmer weather we've been having, it's especially important to double-check cigarettes are properly extinguished as the dry conditions will help a fire spread faster. "In this case, we believe the discarded cigarette caught the dry timber of the decking alight." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
