The Premium Debate: Subscribers weigh in on crime waves fuelled by price of tobacco

The cost of cigarettes has triggered a crime wave, writes Richard Prebble. Photo / 123RF

OPINION

Columnist Richard Prebble says the cost of cigarettes is fuelling a crime wave.

He thinks prohibition will be a failure as it was for alcohol in the US. It is daydreaming to believe that when tobacco is nicotine-less and cigarettes taste like sawdust smokers will kick the habit.

He says organised crime will increase with black market tobacco.

He says the answer is to reduce the tax and prices on cigarettes.

Here’s how our Premium subscribres reacted.

Read the full story: Richard Prebble: How the cost of cigarettes is fuelling a crime wave

Have your say by going to bayofplentytimes.co.nz or dailypost.co.nz and becoming a Premium subscriber.

No. There is a direct correlation between smoking’s decline and the price going up.

Why else do you think it declined? Once they reached a certain price everyone started to stop. That’s how it became uncool. You were suddenly in a rapidly decreasing minority.

I watched it with all of my friends. Soon no one will do it because it’s banned. Good.

Dairies should just stop selling them. And I am not sure about the black market theory.

Cigarettes don’t actually do anything to make you feel good like actual drugs. And I speak as a past smoker. - Ross W

If the Government is serious about making the country smokefree, they should just ban the sale of tobacco completely — and I’d support that. Take cigarettes and other tobacco products off the shelves altogether. People won’t ram-raid for something that isn’t there. - David C

In reply to David C: Why? What’s next? Ban alcohol as well? It’s my life if I want to smoke, it’s my choice. There are lots of more dangerous things to ban, like gang activity. - Francois N

In reply to David C: Wasn’t that Mr Prebble’s whole point? A ban will do what? Nothing. Directly mentions that meth is banned, does that mean people aren’t using?

No, just a huge black market and criminal enterprises (gangs) involved. Will that make the situation better? Of course it won’t. Probably the approach is the right one ... kill demand first then when they go there will be no void for the crims to fill. - Jason B

Spot on ... only a swing to the right will stop much of the current ideological nonsense. - James M

One unpopular solution to dairy ram raids is for dairies to stop stocking and selling tobacco products, alcohol and nicotine-containing vape juice.

Of course, that will cause many to become unprofitable because too many dairies are dependent on the sales of tobacco, not sales of milk, sweets and forgotten groceries to non-smokers. - Kirstie P

Smokers are the only group who totally subsidise their medical expenses through the tax they pay on cigarettes.

They have paid their own way when they get crook.

Why do we demonise them? - Roy H

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