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The bright side of it

Feb 12,2017 - Last updated at Feb 12,2017

The government’s decision to raise the sales tax on tobacco products and fizzy drinks was received with mixed feeling by the public.

Anti-smoking activists understandably hailed the move that means raising the price of cigarettes by JD0.457 a package as a valuable step that supports the campaign against smoking.

Smokers, on the other hand, look at it as an added hardship to their daily life. But knowing how inveterate smokers function, one doubts that making cigarettes more expensive would wean them from the habit.

Smoking is universally recognised as a prime cause of cancer, and respiratory and heart problems.

The World Health Organisation and other international agencies concerned with health have long called on countries to adopt effective measures against smoking, including by raising the price of tobacco products.

Raising taxes on cigarettes would also bring much needed revenues to the government coffers, which might make it less inclined to raise taxes on essential goods.

When it comes to soft fizzy drinks, many nations across the globe, urged by WHO guidelines, resort to hiking taxes on such drinks, encouraged by recognised findings that sugary products are just as harmful to health as cigarettes.

It makes sense, therefore, that prices of soft drinks should go up in an effort to discourage people from consuming such clearly harmful products.

Already too many Jordanians suffer from diabetes or weight-related problems that take a toll on their health and even shorten their lives. 

When people gamble with their lives by consuming products that are detrimental to their health, the government has the duty to step in and adopt effective measures to put a stop to harmful practices. 

There is a heavy financial cost for the country when people’s health deteriorates. An even higher price is paid by the families of sick or dead people, so as painful as these tax raises may seem to some, they might be thankful, in the long run and if they give up on some unhealthy habits, to the government for the measures taken.

That said, the absolute necessities of life, and not only, should not be considered for price hikes. 

 

As is, life is difficult, making ends meet is a struggle, and overtaxing the people is hardly recommended.

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