Cigarette Related Crime Spree No Surprise

6 MAY 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Taxpayers’ Union is saddened but not surprised that high excise taxes on tobacco are a contributing factor in the recent spate of dairy robberies as reported in today’s NZ Herald.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says:

“With politicians continuing to ramp up the price of cigarettes so that they become unaffordable, it’s little wonder people are turning to the black market."

“It’s dishonest for politicians to claim that high excise taxes are justified for community health reasons when the same measure is causing new dangers to communities. They say it’s not about the money, yet MPs continue to choose to keep their heads in the sand in relation to the relative merits and harm reduction of legalising the sale of e-cigarettes.”

In January the Taxpayers’ Union released a report examining tobacco excise taxes, which is available here. Of a typical packet of cigarettes retailing for $20, $16 of that is tax.

ENDS

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