Re: Donald Trump : Mon Dec 09, 2019 3:11 pm  

wrencat1873 wrote:

Where have you been ?
There has been a smoking ban in operation for 10 years and although this has killed plenty of local pubs, it's hardly bankrupted the country.
The cost of dealing with health issues massively out weigh the revenue for the exchequer.
Aside from the obvious, such were the rates of tax on cigarettes and booze that, the black market took over anyway, meaning even less tax going into the pot.
As for the junkies, it's a fine line between heavy drinker and alcoholic and for drugs, just what is your solution ?

I really think you need to do a little research before deriding me with the inane "where have you been" comment. Tax revenue from tobacco is approximately £9bn a year, estimated cost to the NHS is £2bn a year. You do the maths

Re: Donald Trump : Mon Dec 09, 2019 3:22 pm  

wotsupcas wrote:

I really think you need to do a little research before deriding me with the inane "where have you been" comment. Tax revenue from tobacco is approximately £9bn a year, estimated cost to the NHS is £2bn a year. You do the maths

You've missed a few costs out there.

According to the Government’s Tobacco Control Plan for England, smoking costs our economy in excess of £11bn per year. Of this, £2.5bn falls to the NHS, £5.3bn falls to employers, and £4.1bn falls to wider society. It is also estimated that smoking-related health conditions creates a demand pressure on local councils of £760m a year for social care services.

Department of Health (2017). Towards a smoke-free generation – A tobacco control plan for England.

Re: Donald Trump : Mon Dec 09, 2019 3:27 pm  

wrencat1873 wrote:

Where have you been ?
There has been a smoking ban in operation for 10 years and although this has killed plenty of local pubs, it's hardly bankrupted the country.
The cost of dealing with health issues massively out weigh the revenue for the exchequer.
Aside from the obvious, such were the rates of tax on cigarettes and booze that, the black market took over anyway, meaning even less tax going into the pot.
As for the junkies, it's a fine line between heavy drinker and alcoholic and for drugs, just what is your solution ?

Oh and tax revenue from alcohol £12bn a year and cost to the NHS is approximately £3.5 billion. I know there are other costs such as policing, absenteeism etc but I think £8.5bn ought to more than cover it. So yes if everybody stopped smoking and drinking the UK would have a large revenue gap to fill

Re: Donald Trump : Mon Dec 09, 2019 4:09 pm  

wotsupcas wrote:

Oh and tax revenue from alcohol £12bn a year and cost to the NHS is approximately £3.5 billion. I know there are other costs such as policing, absenteeism etc but I think £8.5bn ought to more than cover it.

Even at the lower end of Public Health England's 2016 estimate, £8.5bn nowhere near covers it.

A 2016 Public Health England evidence review estimates the economic burden of alcohol as between 1.3% and 2.7% of annual UK GDP (approximately £21-£52 billion).

Re: Donald Trump : Mon Dec 09, 2019 4:26 pm  

King Street Cat wrote:

Even at the lower end of Public Health England's 2016 estimate, £8.5bn nowhere near covers it.

No argument there. However my initial post was in response to how much drinking and smoking cost the NHS (not the entire economy) versus illegal drug use. We get nothing back from junkies and there seems to be nothing but sympathy for them. Why are drinkers and smokers seen as pariahs but habitual drug users seen as people deserving of our pity. We get nada,zilch,zero back from them and how much do they cost the NHS/economy?

Re: Donald Trump : Mon Dec 09, 2019 4:33 pm  

wotsupcas wrote:

No argument there. However my initial post was in response to how much drinking and smoking cost the NHS (not the entire economy) versus illegal drug use. We get nothing back from junkies and there seems to be nothing but sympathy for them. Why are drinkers and smokers seen as pariahs but habitual drug users seen as people deserving of our pity. We get nada,zilch,zero back from them and how much do they cost the NHS/economy?

chuck policing, court and prison costs in too.

but as you say, sticking powder up your nose every weekend is acceptable, apparently.

Re: Donald Trump : Mon Dec 09, 2019 7:16 pm  

IR80 wrote:

chuck policing, court and prison costs in too.

but as you say, sticking powder up your nose every weekend is acceptable, apparently.

Odd how desperately in some situations you Tories want to insert the government into every aspect of people's private lives.

Re: Donald Trump : Mon Dec 09, 2019 7:40 pm  

The Ghost of '99 wrote:

Odd how desperately in some situations you Tories want to insert the government into every aspect of people's private lives.

You tories? On another thread you said you have voted for them. You weren't fibbing were you?

Re: Donald Trump : Mon Dec 09, 2019 7:44 pm  

I see we had another Donald Trump play by Johnson in trying to divert attention from his NHS views to suddenly suggesting that the BBC license fee could be scrapped. It had not been mentioned before nor in his manifesto.

Re: Donald Trump : Mon Dec 09, 2019 7:52 pm  

I bet the Health Minister was overjoyed about having to shoot up to Leeds double pronto to mop up after his leader.
I wonder how long it took Boris to get potty trained or whether his nanny was still having to wipe his @rse when he was attending Eton?