If the government suddenly decided to stop vaccinating infants against childhood illnesses, countless voices would certainly rise to demand that the government justify it. Have the diseases been eradicated? Were the side effects more important than the diseases that should be prevented by vaccines?
NO INCREASE IN THE TOBACCO TAX: A MISUNDERSTANDING!
Likewise, if the government chose not to implement a measure proven to be effective in the fight against an epidemic that costs more than 10 lives each year, the public would be entitled to know the reasons for such a decision. This is exactly what happened in the most recent provincial budget. The government has decided not to increase the specific tobacco tax, making it Minister Leitão's third consecutive budget to let this tax stagnate.
Already, Quebec has the lowest tax in Canada and its efficiency crumbles in the absence of an increase. Moreover, according to the new budget, the contraband market remains stable, even decreasing, below 15%, despite the tax increases in 2012 and 2014. Why, then, does the government choose to deprive the most cost-conscious populations of young people and disadvantaged communities of the most effective measure of tobacco reduction?
Not having an answer to this question is all the more frustrating as Minister Leitão repeatedly reiterated during his speech the importance of doing "benefit all Quebecers" of the "flexibility"Budget that has themppartient».
However, there is also room for maneuver to increase the price of tobacco products. But it was the industry and not the public that benefited for more than two and a half years, increasing its prices by an average of $ 4,60 per carton of 200 cigarettes since mid-2014 - an amount over the last tax hike that had been vigorously denounced by this same industry!
It should be noted that unlike the price shock caused by a substantial tax hike, the increases made by manufacturers are gradual and modulated so as not to affect consumption. The government itself specified at the time of the last increase in June 2014 that it would have the effect of encouraging "50 000 smokers to quit". These are all Quebeckers who would have seen their risk of stroke and other illnesses drop dramatically if the government had decided to introduce a new increase.
Lack of hike also represents a gift of some $ 150 million to tobacco companies, money that could have been turned into revenue for the state, which is still grappling with the health care bill caused by tobacco. Insofar as the government is unable to provide solid justifications for its decision, it should proceed with an increase as soon as possible. He has the power and it is never too late to do it right.
Source : Quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/
