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Implying that smokers are a financial burden to society is "dishonest" and "economically illiterate" says Forest
Mon 30th September, 2019
Forest has criticised new data that allegedly shows smoking in England cost £12.5 billion in 2018.
According to an ‘online tool’ developed by the anti-smoking group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), smoking in England cost society ‘at least £12.5bn in 2018’.
Simon Clark, director of Forest, said:
"These figures are based not on actual evidence but on estimates and calculations.
"They are deliberately manipulated to exceed the £10 billion smokers contribute to society through tobacco taxes.
"Yes, there are serious health risks associated with smoking but, in financial terms, smokers more than pay their way.
"Estimating the cost of smoking is a fool's errand and implying that smokers are a financial burden to society is not just wrong, it's dishonest and economically illiterate."
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- Implying that smokers are a financial burden to society is "dishonest" and "economically illiterate" says Forest
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