The price of cigarettes.

[Brandyboy]

According to the Office for National Statistics, the average price for a packet of 20 cigarettes in January 2023 was £12.84.

The increase in duty rates announced in the Budget means an average packet of 20 cigarettes would increase to £14.39 at 18:00 GMT on Wednesday.

I don't smoke because I think it's dirty, smelly selfish habit which has been proven without a shadow of a doubt that it will eventully kill you, but what who's going to pay £14.39 for what is really a drug addiction, and like all drug addictions, many are powerless to give it up.... but £14.39 . Come on. !!

[LucindaC]

Saw a comment in the Scottish sun newspaper and a chap said that smoking helps him deal with his depression and was annoyed with the government. he said he would rather have a cigarette than be on pills from his doctor and the price rise was attack on the way he wants to live his life. no consolation to the chap but his packet of cigs is still cheaper than a pint of Guiness at Cheltenham races this week which was £20.

[Brian Deacon]

Given all the evidence, you have got to be absolutely bonkers to smoke, at any price.

[crummy]

Given all the evidence, you have got to be absolutely bonkers to smoke, at any price.

Totally agree..we all know what tobacco can do.

All tobacco products should be banned. The NHS would be better for it..

.

[Brandyboy]

Given all the evidence, you have got to be absolutely bonkers to smoke, at any price.

Totally agree..we all know what tobacco can do.

All tobacco products should be banned. The NHS would be better for it..

.

So would everybody else.

[Rspltd]

Just to inject a little reality, the price of a pint of Guinness at Cheltenham was £7.50. Someone mixed Guinness with sparkling wine and tried to charge £20 a pint but apparently there were few takers.

[Army of stars]

Governments don't mind you being addicted as long as you're addicted to something they can make money on....my wife weaned herself off morphine after 15 years and is now pain free after taking CBD oil but would possibly still get into trouble in the UK.

[Vino]

Just to inject a little reality, the price of a pint of Guinness at Cheltenham was £7.50. Someone mixed Guinness with sparkling wine and tried to charge £20 a pint but apparently there were few takers.

£2.99. In weatherspoons Victoria station yesterday,, but it was St Patrics day.

[Retire1day]

I think the tax more than pays for the hospital treatment that they require. Imagine having to spend that much on cigarettes, one packet of those a day, that is a lot of money.

[Brandyboy]

Some people smoke a lot more, but if it encourages them to cut down, then that's a positive thing.

This makes sober reading about smoking, something that the vast majority of smokers say that they 'enjoy' even though it will cause their premature death and / or a multitude of illnesses.

'Smoking is one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK.

Every year around 76,000 people in the UK die from smoking, with many more living with debilitating smoking-related illnesses.'

That is 208 people a day. !!!

By comparison, in the year ending June 2022, there were 1,760 road accident fatalities .. just over 4 people a day.

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questi ... 0illnesses.