Cigarettes cost 30 sen more from now. The reason? To discourage smokers from smoking. How many times cigarette taxes have increased for the same reason? Any positive result?
You don't have to be a genius to know that this doesn't work. And why do they still want to increase taxes on cigarettes? Why don't they just impose a hefty increase on duties on luxury cars and other luxury items? Think about it. I highly suspect a hidden agenda. Think about it.
I am a non-smoker. And I do agree that smoking is not beneficial to health, and definitely hurts the pockets; especially for the lower income groups. But let us be fair and have a bit of sympathy to the poor (literally) smokers.
From my years of observation, a very big proportion of the blue collar workers, or more crudely, the labourers, smoke. To many, this is the only "joy" that they know how, apart from laying bricks and tarring the road under the hot sun. Now before their health deteriorates, their pockets are lighter. What about their family welfare? Do you think Ahmad, Ah Chong, and Maniam will reduce smoking, let alone quit??
Hidden agenda!! And as always the helpless and powerless are the easy targets.
(Post script: SMS survey by NTV 7 news @ 8pm
"Will increase in cigarette duty results in smokers smoking less?"
NO : 73%
YES : 27% )
10 comments:
Surprisely the cigarette companies did not make any fuss.
Looks like more will go for ganja and glue sniffing. Glue is cheap. A stick of ganja, the last price I knew was 8 ringgit per stick and a stick can last for one whole day. Pusat Serenti is there waiting for them...with open arms..you know who.
Justin,
I'm a smoker and believe it or not I welcome this price increase.
Why? Because I do not possess the discipline to quit this health detrimental addiction.
On the contrary, I hope the government makes smoking so expensively prohibitive that I can somehow save my life!
There may be a hidden agenda but isn't it for all our good? And especially for non-smokers like you who have to inhale 2nd hand smoke from people like me?
Oppose the government by all means but never forget to do things in moderation. Politics in Malaysia right now need more "moderates" much like what we have to do as human beings.
Human emotions is our greatest failing which is why I question "God's" intentions when he created such pathetic human creatures like us.
I still hold on to my agnostic belief of "I think therefore I am".
Smoking cigarettes is a type of "intoxication" which we should be refrained ourselves.
Remember? One of the 5 precepts, refrain ourselves from intoxication. Whatever daily problems that we face, the origin of them fall back on infringement of one or more of the 5 precepts thought by Buddha. His teachings are greater than God, if God does exist.
Anyway, not all human beings buy the logic of 5 precepts. They prefer to rely on God. That's it.
Why worry? God can saves me. This is their logic. Keep smoking then.
Romerz,
To increase to the extend that you can't afford??
I propose that the price be RM1 million per stick!! Please note not RM1, but RM one million; and not per pack but per stick!!
ATM,
Smoking is not intoxicating to the extend that it will make the mind sensless. So it is actually not pertaining to the fifth precept of the five precepts.
Justin,
You flatter me but the truth is when cigarettes reach RM10/- a pack is when I give up. It makes no sense to throw away half my daily needs to feed myself on an addiction!
I promise you this. If I could one day rid myself of this addiction, whatever savings I make will be donated to charity.
By the way, I heard from a source close to the ruling elites that you are right. There is more than meets the eye here. Whilst I can't prove it, this raise in excise duties on tobacco is politically motivated.
Apparently our ruling elites are scrapping the bottom of the barrel with ready cash to dispense!
I'll let you know when you can breathe easy again.
No matter how much it will cost, smokers, if they feel like having one they will buy...nothing like a cigarettes after dinner and a cup of black coffee.
How I started smoking?. You may not believe it. When I started working and was tutored on production planning... after the short tutorial I was assigned to plan for the company's production the next day.
In the midst of planning I went completely blank as I could not balance the production requirement. When I recovered, the first thought that came into my mind was a cigarette. When the siren went off for lunch break..ran to the canteen and bought a stick...no stopping after that.
Smoking is not intoxicating to the extend that it will make the mind sensless. So it is actually not pertaining to the fifth precept of the five precepts.
I have read many Buddhist texts and somewhere it was written that 'smoking' leads to a person having a 'cloudy' mind in present/next lives, not to mention the physical damages too.
If the above is right, then it is pertaining to the five percepts.
As for what Romerz had said, I just want to add, IF he cannot control his addition and want the LAW to control/regulate his behaviour, then he has MISSED the point! By his logic, any ADDICTION that is perceived as NEGATIVE can and should be suppressed by grave punishments??! Can this be true??
This will lead to those in power/Gov't deploying draconian laws to control other negative behaviours and later explaining to us that the existence of this kind of Laws is what the public had wanted/asked for and that (2) it is a workable/natural/correct way to solve the matter.
If you cannot stop smoking but want to, smoke less gradually! If your smoking is creating discomfort to your loved ones, then make sure that when u need to smoke, go far/outside so that they are not much affected. If you still feel bad despite all this, then invoke more self-discipline.
Don't rely on the Gov't to punish/discipline you. Already we have an incompetent Gov't and yet u think the solution to ur own problem is to have them punish you and all other smokers.
Keith Low
I still think if one is addicted to cigarette smoking, and cannot do without smoking, then, it is an intoxication.
But, on the point brought up by PM, he cannot think properly without smoking. In this sense, cigarette smoking makes one's mind clear.
I think, so long as one does not caused problems to others while carrying on with whatever intoxicating habits, then, go ahead with your passions, hahaha
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