Mr. Chris Macey:

A tobacco tax is undoubtedly regressive. However, 58% of 18 to 29 year old women in the lowest socioeconomic groups smoke. This figure is more than double the figure for the general population. One in four women in those communities will die from tobacco. It is the greatest driver of health inequality in the country and tobacco tax is every state's greatest weapon to tackle tobacco addiction. Not only should the taxes increase, but that money should be spent on helping people to get off cigarettes. If people can do so, they will be better off in the long run. We view it in terms of the health savings, which are more important for the communities in question than the economic savings of continuing to smoke.

The bigger the financial burden a tax increase places on people, the more likely they are to give up. That has been proven by statistics. I would not push that argument too hard but it is still a fact that this can help people to stop smoking and help them and their communities to be healthier. It can reduce overall costs to people.