Taxes

[Kain]

Just a simple question. State your opinion and justify your decision.

Should we tax harmful substances in lebanon? For example, should the government increase the price of cigarettes, m3assal, and alcohol...etc.?

On one hand this would greatly help the government, reduce health risks and the national health expenditure.

On the other, people have the right to consume alcohol and tobacco if they wished for it, the government may also not be able to reinforce this decision by preventing smuggling ( this is only a possibility).

What do you guys think?

[H@SSàN]

Yes they should...
Cigarettes is too cheap (comparing to europe), by taxing these products, as you said, it would reduce health risks and the national health expenditure, plus prevent minors from smoking (imagine the Cigarettes box costs 8000 LL or more, I don't think minors would buy it everyday)...
Cigarettes and alcohols are not considered essential products, while feul is essential, so feul prices should be decreased...

[mr_j]

I know some people would sell their dignity to keep buying cigarettes and they won't quit, but I think it might be good way to prevent people from starting to smoke.

alcohol is already very expensive yet people consume it a lot, the problem is in our social norms, drinking and smoking is normal, I was in a camp last week and people were drinking and smoking and I don't do either, they were asking me why I don't

as if the normal thing is to smoke and drink alcohol and the weird thing is not to do it, I also have smoking addicts criticize me about the amount of soda I drink, usually I appreciate people's concerns but, when a person who cannot spend 15 min without smoking, and cannot use the building stairs because he has a short breath tells me that pepsi that is given to babies in kinder garden is going to kill me, I can't take them seriously it's never about logic or cost, it's about social norms

[7anzala]

in europe no ban but one cigarete worth 10$ aw heik shee