Better to try other methods first
The government should use more non-tax measures such as banning smoking in public places to cut down the number of smokers and reduce smoking. Taxes can be raised only after all the necessary non-tax steps have been taken, says an article in Modern Express. Excerpt:
The government raised taxes on tobacco products from May 1, sparking a debate on whether the move would reduce the number of smokers.
Though Li Ling, a professor in Peking University, believes it can reduce the number of smokers, a number of netizens don't. Some even say higher cigarette prices can hardly control smoking because smokers will continue to "enjoy their tar and nicotine" regardless of the price.
Many countries across the world have imposed heavy taxes on their tobacco industry to force people to quit smoking. But we have to know that reducing smoking is a comprehensive and systematic project, and raising taxes is just one of the many tools that it can use.
For instance, China hasn't fulfilled its pledge of printing warning signs on the cover of cigarette packs, believed to be one of the most effective ways of controlling smoking.
The above example shows raising tobacco tax is not the only way of reducing the number of smokers, and we shouldn't place the onus of giving up smoking on the shoulders of smokers.
China lags behind other countries in using different ways to control smoking. Printing warning signs on cigarette packs, banning smoking in public spaces and a crackdown on cigarette commercials are just a few of them. Such measures are believed to be as effective as raising tobacco taxes.
Only after we have imposed the above non-tax measures can we consider using taxation as a tool to control smoking. That's because non-tax measures can achieve the goal without adding monetary burden on smokers.
(China Daily 06/24/2009 page9)
