Would you be willing to pay 13.07 euros for a pack of cigarettes? If you smoke, and this seems expensive, yet it is less than what smoking costs society. This is the surprising conclusion revealed in Le Parisien by a survey research firm Microeconomix and economic expertise. Despite the level of tobacco taxes in France, which places the Hexagon third in Europe as to the price of cigarettes, behind England and Ireland would require that smokers are paying 13.07 euros per pack to offset 15 billion euro as their vice costs society each year. How this study she reaches such a sum? The firm Microeconomix first calculated that cigarette sales are winning the State not only 14 billion in taxes, but also 6.6 billion savings on pensions … because of the premature death of smokers ! So profitable cigarettes? Actually, no, although health spending induced by tobacco amounted to 16.3 billion euros, plus 3.3 billion in non-tax revenue still generated by the death of the taxpayer. A calculation that might sound cynical, yet realistic. It remains necessary to add to this that smoking costs … businesses. Decreased productivity, absenteeism and death, recruitment and training of new employees … Overall, for 2013, Microeconomix evaluates this social cost to 16 billion euros. A “social cost” of tobacco that makes up in smoke the myth of cigarette windfall for the state. “Our principle is based on the idea of the polluter pays” summarizes one of the authors of the study Paris . However, that would be really willing to pay for his pack of cigarettes more than 13 euros? The dead do not pay taxes … and do not work!
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