'Australia Is Stubbing Out Smoking' (bbc.com)

Australia was the first country in the world to introduce mandatory plain packaging for tobacco products. Now it is taking another strong stand, but will other countries follow suit? From an article on BBC, shared by an anonymous reader: It's not easy being a smoker in Australia. The smoking bans started inside -- in workplaces, bars and restaurants -- and moved out. "Now, smoking is prohibited within 10m (33ft) of a playground, within 4m (13ft) of the entrance to a public building, at rail platforms, taxi ranks and bus stops," said Mark Driver, Sydney's Park and Recreation Planner. Those are the rules in New South Wales, but they are mirrored in many other states. Smoking is banned on many beaches, and most Australian states have now banned cigarettes in jail. All states ban smoking in vehicles if children are present. Fines vary, but in some places you may be fined AUD$2,000 (USD$1,515) if you smoke in the wrong place. And even if you don't, you'll be paying more than that each year by 2020, if you smoke just one AUD$40 pack a week. [...] These days, smoking is often taken up by people who are on the lowest rungs of the socio-economic ladder, Simone Dennis, an associate professor at Australian National University, points out, "and that adds a burden of shame to people who might already be marginalised." If it's the poor who are now the most likely to smoke, it's hard to see how they will ever afford the AUD$40 (USD$30) pack of cigarettes.

Comments

Re: The point

[lgw]

Smokers who quit will cost less to the public health care system,

Thoroughly-debunked urban legend. People should be embarrassed repeating this on these days. Smoking-related deaths are average-cost ways to die.

lso, since they'll live longer they can work longer and consume longer - and sales taxes and other consumer levies are must-haves for most tax systems.

I can only hope you're being snarky here, but there are people who would sincerely argue that you don't have the right to die early, or to risk your life in any way, because that would deprive the state of needed tax revenue. Those people are assholes.