observer Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 - as taxpayers, to subsidise a smoker's effort to quit? Seems a pilot scheme in Scotland is paying ?12.50 per week to quitting smokers, in the form of food vouchers! Whilst evidence suggests financial incentives can make a marginal difference to "take up"; I doubt the evidence sustains the process to a succesfull conclusion; and what's to stop folk saying they're going to quit, and start a programme just for the money? Yet another half baked idea from HMG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonymaillman Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 That kind of logic can be applied to a LOT of things are you happy to be paying taxes to cover costs of methadone to give to drug users ? free prescriptions to those who don't work and have NEVER contributed anything taxation or insurance wise ? the list is endless so pinpointing one particular group of people (i.e. smokers) is unfair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Not much of an incentive to stop smoking there then. Most people who quit complain of weight gain and they are offering food vouchers Count me out if it ever starts here. Perhaps they would get more people to quit if they offered petrol vouchers or better still wine vouchers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 More evidence that the inmates have taken control of the lunatic asylum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Can ex-smokers claim compo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Levy Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 To be honest I find it quite a ludicrous idea which I very much doubt will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted June 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 They will of course be checking your carban-monoxide to make sure you've packed in; BUT you could have made ?25 -?50 by then; then give it a while, then have another go! Fact is, there already is a huge financial incentive to give up the fags - their price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Its true, I gained a stone and half over a year and half after quitting smoking. humans are "consumers by habbit" and where you once went..."I fancy a cig" you then go "hmmm I fancy somat!" and then start opening kitchen cupboard doors, with no specific desire, just an urge to consume something. existance is all about consuming in once form or another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted June 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Maybe food can be a habit; but nicotine consumption is an addiction, claimed to be more addictive than many class A drugs. Alas, unlike class A drugs, it continues to be legalised by Governments who condemn it, yet receive a huge tax income from it - sort of nicotine pimps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted June 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Another one for the happy taxpayer:- Parents are to be given a ?200 bribe to use child care for their under 5s! So ?200 from the Government for dumping your kids onto someone else, so you can get a job and spend half your wages on the remaining child care costs and on keeping a car for the school run and to get to work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Well I was happy.....ish until I read this topic. I want to know where all the money is coming from, maybe it is the current lot making sure the challice is fully poisoned for the new Government. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 I'm not happy. my personal life is fine, but I think like many many other working class people we work so hard and pay out so much but get little in return in the form of services. it should be if you get to my age (IRO40), and have been working for the past 25 years, not with any particular disatser or great fortune...but ticking over... you should be in a position of moderate comfort...not worrying about where the extra money for this winters fuel increase is going to come from. I as many others have and continue to put my effort into society...why when I need to look for a return on this investment I have a government with no intrest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 I guess considering the obscene sum that smoking costs the NHS, the ?12.50 a week could be money well spent - if it worked, which is probably unlikely. People smoke for all sorts of reasons and if money alone could cure addicts, we wouldn't have any! Glad you're fairly happy Paul! I'm eternally happy. Whenever I start to feel sorry for myself I think of all the people, in this country and around the world who struggle every day just to stay alive. Soon makes me feel thankful for what I've got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted June 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Arguably smokers pay for the NHS in tax; but if you start along that line of thought: we've got a lot more folk in line for costing the NHS - binge drinkers (driving crashes,violence and liver transplants); junk food junkies (obesity, heart probs, diabetes etc); extreme sportsmen (accidents); folk born with genetic defects (known prior to conception); the list could go on and cover almost everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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