Consuming less cigarettes will not harm tobbacco growers- Union Health minister

Union Health minister has asserted that reduction in consumption of cigarettes will not harm tobbacco growers as there are alternativs like sugar cane that can be substituted on the same land. Also the revenue that government earns as way of taxation is far less than the health loss and expenditure on treatment.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anti-tobacco-drive-wont-affect-farmers-Harsh-Vardhan-says/articleshow/38342473.cms?

The government is taxing "addiction" for generating revenue, as they know smokers cannot live without smoking. If health was a concern ahy have 'Beedis' been not taxed heavily. The health of poor is not important. Sugar cane needs large quantity of water.

Union Health minister has asserted that reduction in consumption of cigarettes will not harm tobbacco growers as there are alternativs like sugar cane that can be substituted on the same land. Also the revenue that government earns as way of taxation is far less than the health loss and expenditure on treatment.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anti-tobacco-drive-wont-affect-farmers-Harsh-Vardhan-says/articleshow/38342473.cms?

The government is taxing "addiction" for generating revenue, as they know smokers cannot live without smoking. If health was a concern ahy have 'Beedis' been not taxed heavily. The health of poor is not important. Sugar cane needs large quantity of water.

True..sugarcane cannot be a substitute because of water requirements. Already because of excessive sugarcane plantation, natural water tables have been depleted severely and has caused irreparable damage to land in numerous places!

Union Health minister has asserted that reduction in consumption of cigarettes will not harm tobbacco growers as there are alternativs like sugar cane that can be substituted on the same land. Also the revenue that government earns as way of taxation is far less than the health loss and expenditure on treatment.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anti-tobacco-drive-wont-affect-farmers-Harsh-Vardhan-says/articleshow/38342473.cms?

The government is taxing "addiction" for generating revenue, as they know smokers cannot live without smoking. If health was a concern ahy have 'Beedis' been not taxed heavily. The health of poor is not important. Sugar cane needs large quantity of water.

Beeedi is not as harmful as cigarette (it does not contai paper which is more harmful) besides it provides job opportunities to thousands in unorganized sector. Beedi does not attract as much taxes and excise as cigarette. Sugar cane and tobacco both need water equally but the government will have to make sure the sugarcane farmers paid on time and reasonably. You know the sugar canes sells at 150/ q where as the firewood sells for up to800/quintet

Union Health minister has asserted that reduction in consumption of cigarettes will not harm tobbacco growers as there are alternativs like sugar cane that can be substituted on the same land. Also the revenue that government earns as way of taxation is far less than the health loss and expenditure on treatment.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anti-tobacco-drive-wont-affect-farmers-Harsh-Vardhan-says/articleshow/38342473.cms?

The government is taxing "addiction" for generating revenue, as they know smokers cannot live without smoking. If health was a concern ahy have 'Beedis' been not taxed heavily. The health of poor is not important. Sugar cane needs large quantity of water.

Beeedi is not as harmful as cigarette (it does not contai paper which is more harmful) besides it provides job opportunities to thousands in unorganized sector. Beedi does not attract as much taxes and excise as cigarette. Sugar cane and tobacco both need water equally but the government will have to make sure the sugarcane farmers paid on time and reasonably. You know the sugar canes sells at 150/ q where as the firewood sells for up to800/quintet

I do not agree that beedi is less harmful then cigarettes. Both are equally harmful in the long run. The issue is if growing tobacco is legal than why its end products is considered to be harmful and taxed so heavily. I repeat it is addiction that is being taxed to earn assured revenues from an habit. Showing health concern for cigarette smokers to justify high taxes is a lame excuse as it means the heath of the poor is not important.

Union Health minister has asserted that reduction in consumption of cigarettes will not harm tobbacco growers as there are alternativs like sugar cane that can be substituted on the same land. Also the revenue that government earns as way of taxation is far less than the health loss and expenditure on treatment.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anti-tobacco-drive-wont-affect-farmers-Harsh-Vardhan-says/articleshow/38342473.cms?

The government is taxing "addiction" for generating revenue, as they know smokers cannot live without smoking. If health was a concern ahy have 'Beedis' been not taxed heavily. The health of poor is not important. Sugar cane needs large quantity of water.

Beeedi is not as harmful as cigarette (it does not contai paper which is more harmful) besides it provides job opportunities to thousands in unorganized sector. Beedi does not attract as much taxes and excise as cigarette. Sugar cane and tobacco both need water equally but the government will have to make sure the sugarcane farmers paid on time and reasonably. You know the sugar canes sells at 150/ q where as the firewood sells for up to800/quintet

I do not agree that beedi is less harmful then cigarettes. Both are equally harmful in the long run. The issue is if growing tobacco is legal than why its end products is considered to be harmful and taxed so heavily. I repeat it is addiction that is being taxed to earn assured revenues from an habit. Showing health concern for cigarette smokers to justify high taxes is a lame excuse as it means the heath of the poor is not important.

True....Just because bidis are all natural does not mean they are less harmful than cigarettes, in fact they are much more dangerous and cancerous than cigarettes http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report-bidi-more-harmful-than-cigarette-study-1544092

I never said beedi is harmless, (if it was I would have started smoking bidiwhen I gave up smoking 11 years before) but I only said it does not harm as much as cigarette does. Besides, it contains no paper and very less quantity of tobacco that makes it lesser dangerous. However I have no intention to convince anyone to start smoking bidi. You will have to agree once you forbid something forcefully people try to taste it out of curiosity so making them out of reach by hiking prices is the best strategy. it will at least keep the consumption down.

I never said beedi is harmless, (if it was I would have started smoking bidiwhen I gave up smoking 11 years before) but I only said it does not harm as much as cigarette does. Besides, it contains no paper and very less quantity of tobacco that makes it lesser dangerous. However I have no intention to convince anyone to start smoking bidi. You will have to agree once you forbid something forcefully people try to taste it out of curiosity so making them out of reach by hiking prices is the best strategy. it will at least keep the consumption down.

Exactly, then hike the duty on beedis also so that the poor keep away from it. Less tobacco per beedi is made up by smoking more beedis.

I never said beedi is harmless, (if it was I would have started smoking bidiwhen I gave up smoking 11 years before) but I only said it does not harm as much as cigarette does. Besides, it contains no paper and very less quantity of tobacco that makes it lesser dangerous. However I have no intention to convince anyone to start smoking bidi. You will have to agree once you forbid something forcefully people try to taste it out of curiosity so making them out of reach by hiking prices is the best strategy. it will at least keep the consumption down.

Exactly, then hike the duty on beedis also so that the poor keep away from it. Less tobacco per beedi is made up by smoking more beedis.

I have seen people smoking handmade cigarettes (by using raw tobacco available in open market) rolling tobacco in any paper available. Once you make bidi out of reach of poor people which is made of Tendu leaves comparatively safer than paper. I remember when I started smoking a pack of wills 10 cigs used to cost 60 paise. Now it costs close to 100 Rs ( I am not sure though) but the consumption hasn't gone down.

It is stupid to argue that consuming less cigarettes will not harm tobbacco growers. It might indeed harm them, but the issue is not one of profitability of the grower. It is one of social responsibility. Why should one consume cigarettes at all, given the fact that such a habit is the main cause of heart attacks, where many families are left without the bread winner?

Somehow or the other, our Ministers are more bothered only about economics. Even if all the tobacco growers land up in absolute poverty -- this is not really going to happen in the near future at all -- so be it. Let us not bother about them.

Our Government should be more bothered about providing better health facilities and good schools for children. Let the Government bother about sanitation and supply of good drinking water.

Yes, the Government is right in taxing the cigarette users and if such guys smoke less, the society will be a more happier place to live in.

It is stupid to argue that consuming less cigarettes will not harm tobbacco growers. It might indeed harm them, but the issue is not one of profitability of the grower. It is one of social responsibility. Why should one consume cigarettes at all, given the fact that such a habit is the main cause of heart attacks, where many families are left without the bread winner?

Somehow or the other, our Ministers are more bothered only about economics. Even if all the tobacco growers land up in absolute poverty -- this is not really going to happen in the near future at all -- so be it. Let us not bother about them.

Our Government should be more bothered about providing better health facilities and good schools for children. Let the Government bother about sanitation and supply of good drinking water.

Yes, the Government is right in taxing the cigarette users and if such guys smoke less, the society will be a more happier place to live in.

India produces very little tobacco for its domestic use so reducing the consumption will make no difference on less than 1 lac total farmers in India and less than 0.25% land used for tobacco cultivation. But I agree government should concentrate on welfare of citizen providing them better health facilities and increase price of tobacco products.

It is stupid to argue that consuming less cigarettes will not harm tobbacco growers. It might indeed harm them, but the issue is not one of profitability of the grower. It is one of social responsibility. Why should one consume cigarettes at all, given the fact that such a habit is the main cause of heart attacks, where many families are left without the bread winner?

Somehow or the other, our Ministers are more bothered only about economics. Even if all the tobacco growers land up in absolute poverty -- this is not really going to happen in the near future at all -- so be it. Let us not bother about them.

Our Government should be more bothered about providing better health facilities and good schools for children. Let the Government bother about sanitation and supply of good drinking water.

Yes, the Government is right in taxing the cigarette users and if such guys smoke less, the society will be a more happier place to live in.

True...how about growing other food crops and vegetables instead of tobacco? Doesn't that offer a better solution than producing tobacco? Tobacco growers already have land with them so how can they grow poor? :blink:

I never said beedi is harmless, (if it was I would have started smoking bidiwhen I gave up smoking 11 years before) but I only said it does not harm as much as cigarette does. Besides, it contains no paper and very less quantity of tobacco that makes it lesser dangerous. However I have no intention to convince anyone to start smoking bidi. You will have to agree once you forbid something forcefully people try to taste it out of curiosity so making them out of reach by hiking prices is the best strategy. it will at least keep the consumption down.

Exactly, then hike the duty on beedis also so that the poor keep away from it. Less tobacco per beedi is made up by smoking more beedis.

I have seen people smoking handmade cigarettes (by using raw tobacco available in open market) rolling tobacco in any paper available. Once you make bidi out of reach of poor people which is made of Tendu leaves comparatively safer than paper. I remember when I started smoking a pack of wills 10 cigs used to cost 60 paise. Now it costs close to 100 Rs ( I am not sure though) but the consumption hasn't gone down.

That is what I have been saying- that government is earning from the addiction of smokers. It is like petrol which will sell at all prices. So they are giving relief to non smokers at the cost of smokers under an assumed cover of morality. At this rate grape farming and sugar cane farming should also be regulated because alcohol is made from their products. If tobacco farming is legal then its product - cigarettes should be reasonably taxed or it should be declared illegal.

I agree. In fact, government need not be moral guardian. It is okay to give health advice but it is for citizens to decide what they will consume. It is unjust to tax heavily those who decide to consume cigarettes or drink alcoholock drink. Once Swantra Party MN.P. Pilu Modi remarkd that he did not drink but nobody could snatch his right to drink.

I agree. In fact, government need not be moral guardian. It is okay to give health advice but it is for citizens to decide what they will consume. It is unjust to tax heavily those who decide to consume cigarettes or drink alcoholock drink. Once Swantra Party MN.P. Pilu Modi remarkd that he did not drink but nobody could snatch his right to drink.

That's what I am saying too. Stop tobacco farming in India and see the result, there are so many easy routs that will flood the Indian market with illegal means. Let the government make money for welfare of its citizen instead money going to Pakistan and Afghanistan for tobacco. Cigarettes Made in China will find an easy entry in India through Nepal. Ban is no substitute of anything and it doesn't work anywhere in the world.

I agree. In fact, government need not be moral guardian. It is okay to give health advice but it is for citizens to decide what they will consume. It is unjust to tax heavily those who decide to consume cigarettes or drink alcoholock drink. Once Swantra Party MN.P. Pilu Modi remarkd that he did not drink but nobody could snatch his right to drink.

That's what I am saying too. Stop tobacco forming in India and see the result, there are so many easy routs that will flood the Indian market with illegal means. Let the government make money for welfare of its citizen instead money going to Pakistan and Afghanistan for tobacco. Cigarettes Made in China will find an easy entry in India through Nepal. Ban is no substitute of anything and it doesn't work anywhere in the world.

No one is advocating ban on tobacco growing. Only taxation should be rational and not irrational if it is legally permissible activity. It is already possible that with such high level of taxation smuggled cigarettes will come into the country.