Letters | How the tobacco tax helped me quit smoking
- Readers discuss the effectiveness of raising the tobacco tax in lowering the smoking rate, and a factor affecting the birth rate in Hong Kong
In his 2023-24 budget speech, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po announced a 31.5 per cent increase in the tax on tobacco (60 HK cents per cigarette). This year, he announced a rise of about 32 per cent (80 HK cents per cigarette), taking the price of a pack of cigarettes to more than HK$90.
Research has shown that taxation is a powerful tool for reducing smoking among low-income groups. Those who smoke a pack a day would end up spending almost HK$3,000 (US$384) a month, a substantial sum of money, especially for low-income workers. They would surely need to cut back.
According to the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office of the Department of Health, after the tobacco tax increase was announced in the budget on February 28, the weekly average number of people calling its hotline needing help with quitting smoking rose by nearly four times compared to three months ago.
Some have criticised the raising of the tax, saying that it would drive chain smokers to pirated cigarettes. I myself had been a chain smoker for more than 40 years. After a substantial increase in the tobacco tax about a decade ago, I considered buying pirated cigarettes.
But I wasn’t comfortable doing that. I had been a law-abiding person all my life. So I decided to quit, and I did it all at once. Yes, I am now both a law-abiding person and a non-smoker.
I hope all those calling to get help, or those having even the slightest intention of quitting, manage to quit once and for all like I did.
Randy Lee, Ma On Shan
Education system a factor in low birth rate
Education plays a vital role in shaping the minds of young people, influencing their future life choices. The emphasis in our society is on achieving academic excellence, gaining admission to prestigious universities and securing well-paid jobs, with career advancement prioritised over starting a family.
Moreover, the high indirect cost of education can become a financial burden that couples already struggling with other expenses, particularly housing, want to avoid.
Reducing the workload on pupils and focusing on their all-round development will have many knock-on effects. In addition, sex education at schools could help dispel misconceptions and promote family planning.
Ansley Au, Tseung Kwan O
