Budget 2008
Anti-smoke group lobbies for measures
AHEAD of Budget Day, which is
also No Smoking Day, Fresh
C Smoke-Free North-East called
on Alistair Darling to maintain
low VAT on nicotine replacements
and raise tobacco taxes
to protect the health of the region.
Smoking is still the main cause
of premature death and disease
in the region, and the greatest
contributor to the difference in
life expectancy between the regions
most and least affluent residents.
Fresh is calling on the Chancellor
to:
ñ Maintain the five per cent VAT
on nicotine replacement therapies
introduced in last years
Budget;
ñ Raise the tax on tobacco by at
least ten pence a pack above inflation;
ñ Introduce a better anti-smuggling
strategy;
ñ Sign up to agreements reached
between other EU countries and
two of the worlds leading tobacco
companies C Philip Morris International
and Japan Tobacco
International C which put the
responsibility for reducing
smuggling on the tobacco companies.
Smoking kills 5,000 to 6,000
North-East people every year,
and the use of nicotine replacements
such as gum, patches, inhalators
and tablets are vital in
enabling smokers to quit.
A record number of smokers in
the North-East will today sign up
for The Great No Smoking Day
Challenge by quitting for at least
a week.
Fresh director
10:13am Wednesday 12th March 2008
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