Smokers raising government cash

11:14am Friday 25th April 2008

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RE the letter from Councillor Salim Mulla (LT, April 22) Balance needed to cut smoking'.

Whilst I applaud the sentiment behind Coun Mulla's call for balance on the issue of smoking and especially, increased measures to dissuade youngsters from taking up the habit, I was rather disappointed to note that he trotted out the same, tired old argument that has been used by the anti-smoking brigade throughout the debate over the draconian smoking ban.

Coun Mulla states that "there will certainly be a reduction in health-care costs" and that "it will certainly save billions of pounds for the NHS."

Whilst it is technically, very difficult to argue with the former point, the latter does not stand to scrutiny.

The general consensus is that the cost to the NHS of treating smoking-related illnesses is around £1.7 billion per annum, whilst revenue from tobacco sales is between £7-8 billion per annum. Clearly, smokers do not constitute a drain on public funds.

Quite the opposite in fact.

With regard to the ban, there were alternatives available to the Government, which would have been acceptable to all but the terminally small-minded.

GUY HOWARD, Whalley Old Road, Sunny Bower, Blackburn.