This is how much food you can get for the cost of a pack of cigarettes in Australia (50 AUD)

Eh the tax on cigarettes increases every year I think it's literally $2 a smoke now, it was 1.67 when I quit.

I'm conflicted on this tax though, the money doesn't go anywhere it should. Our healthcare services should be propped up with this money because smokers are actively damaging themselves causing increased stress on the medical system, it could also be put towards harm minimisation in general not just for smoking but all sorts of addictions

But the government doesn't actually care about this issue, if you look at the stance towards vaping it's apparent that they tried this ban to prop up big tobacco considering the only 'legal' vapes on the market are manufactured by the big tobacco corporations

The other issue is this tax is severely damaging for low socioeconomic areas in Australia, who already have a high amount of smokers. Lots of places just sell cheap imported cigarettes for 20 bucks now, so that money is going to some kind of organised crime.

I just think it's a form of prohibition that's gotten out of hand, rather it should've been used to bootstrap and fund better infrastructure and policy around the issue.

A black market pack is $12 and noone I know buys legal cigarettes anymore. I'd love to know how they manage to smuggle in enough to meet the demand. The firebombings are an unpleasant side effect but the government loves the tax rake.

@Zagorath@aussie.zone , is this correct?

Thank you for the details!

If it’s the table spread, that’s a butter-like substance made from recycled tables.

They look like politicians, or local councilmen.

Two bottles of shampoo is a lot to drink.

Wait, what?