CAP stance on minimum price for cigarettes

The President of Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has lauded the Government’s move to impose a minimum price on cigarettes but hopes it would be higher -- about RM30 per pack -- to seriously deter people from smoking. (See Star article below).

Such a statement shows that this so-called President is really a mediocre, simple-minded fellow. To me, his statement lacks logic. Indeed it shows he is not really interested in the welfare of smokers at all. Under the pretense of helping smokers quit, he is instead just showing his utter prejudice and intolerance towards smokers.

If he is so concerned about other people's health, why does he not apply the same stupid logic to other things? Has he seen the statistics for deaths from road accidents? From heart disease? From high cholesterol and blocked arteries? I think these are all much higher than smoking-related deaths.

I'm no doctor. But I have read that smoking contributes no more than 20% to deaths resulting from heart disease. And heart disease is the most common cause of illness related deaths. What contributes the other 80%? Some other factors are high levels of LDL (bad cholesterol), high blood pressure, obesity and sedentary lifestyle.

So following this stupid logic, CAP should call on prices of fatty foods to be increased 300% at least. Same thing for sugar. Minimum charge for one packet of santan-packed nasi lemak with chicken rendang should be RM30 too. One 2-piece KFC meal should not be cheaper than RM30. One cup of regular Coke (approx. 9 tablespoons of sugar) should be at least RM15. Satay RM5 per stick. Want peanut sauce, RM20 per plate. Chendol, ais kacang RM25 per bowl. Why let overweight people die unnecessarily? We must be fair to fat or unhealthy people too.

However, the best thing to do would be to increase the price of cars and motorbikes by 300-500%. Make the cheapest crappy Kancil cost at least RM120,000. Want a BMW 320i? Pay lah RM1million at least. Make a taxi ride from SS2 Old Town kopitiam to Damansara Uptown cost at least RM75. Masuk saja meter show RM30 minimum. Go to KL minimum charge RM150. Now, we're talking. Bus ride minimum RM25 per ticket for maximum 5 stops.

Then use all the additional money made by the government to produce and sell bicycles for RM50 each. Everyone would have to start walking or cycling everywhere. Not only would we reduce the number of road deaths, everyone would become way fitter too, leading to less deaths from heart disease. Presto! Kill two birds with one stone. Actually, three. Because air pollution from vehicle emissions would be cut drastically as well. Why never propose this? Never thought of it? Well, what excuse does he have now?

It is always easy to pick on others when it doesn’t affect yourself. That’s why so many non-smokers support such silly ideas. Once at a kenduri, I walked away from the table to have a cigarette. When I returned, this fat makcik, in between stuffing her face with food, started lecturing me and her two small children about smoking. I looked at her and her two chubby kids and thought it is not natural for a human being to look like Jabba the Hutt. In fact, I thought she probably would die from a heart attack before me.

In my personal opinion, people like this CAP fella are really insensitive, prejudiced people. They do not think about the effects on the poor. There are many smokers in the lower income group. For some, having a smoke once in a while is a welcome relief from the daily grind. It is respite from the harshness of life. You think they are stupid? That they do not know it is bad for their health? Maybe they have sacrificed many other things and pursuits just to put aside a little money for their children's education, for their family's future. And such idiots with their holier-than-thou attitude want to take away their last form of enjoyment? What if they cannot quit and keep smoking anyway? RM30 a pack, 1 pack a day... RM210 a week, RM840 a month. You can say bye-bye maybe to the children's education fund, maybe the book the daughter wanted to read, the shoes the son needed for football. Maybe the parent will steal or cheat, just to continue smoking. Who will be responsible for what happens? The CAP President?

His intentions may be good. Even that I doubt, but still it may be good. But the method is totally wrong. Unfortunately, intentions do not equate to results. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. No matter how good your intentions, if you plant a cactus seed, it will not grow to be a rosebush.

Latest purchase:

KPS: +5,000 (1.83) ... Total 5,000 (first toe in, about time to add now).


/ichithekiller

Original aricle link: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/30/nation/20091030153241&sec=nation

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Published: Friday October 30, 2009 MYT 3:29:00 PM
CAP wants higher price for ciggies, RM30 for pack of 20
By ANDREA FILMER


andrea@thestar.com.my

GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has lauded the Government’s move to impose a minimum price on cigarettes but hopes it would be higher -- about RM30 per pack -- to seriously deter people from smoking.

CAP president S.M. Mohamed Idris said a proposed price of RM6.20 for a pack of 20 cigarettes was “disappointingly low” and the Government needed to severely stem the sale of cheaper brands in the market for the move to have any effect.

“While CAP lauds the move mooted by Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai to set a minimum price for cigarettes effective from Jan 1 2010, it is disappointing to note that the price fixed is so low that it would be a futile move,” Mohamed Idris said in a press conference on Friday.

Liow had announced on Wednesday that a minimum price for packs of cigarettes would be implemented from next year in an effort to check the availability of cheaper cigarettes in the market.

Mohamed Idris suggested that a pack of 20 should be priced closer to RM30 to make an impact.

“The price of premier brand cigarettes here are significantly cheaper than those in other countries.

“For example, premier packs of 20s in Singapore are priced between RM27 to RM80 (S$11 to S$32.80),” he said.

Mohamed Idris said premium cigarettes sold in Malaysia for about RM9.30 per pack of 20 while cheaper brands were widely available from RM2.20 to RM2.50.

“In a recent survey carried out by CAP, we found that the sale of so-called ‘value brand’ cigarettes, which are actually cheap cigarette brands, have increased.

“Various brands, some of which are sold duty free in Langkawi, are easily available in places that sell cigarettes and most of these do not even carry a picture warning (of the effects of smoking) on the box,” he added.

Mohamed Idris also called for a quick halt of the sale of packs containing fewer than 20 cigarettes, as well as the sale of loose cigarettes.

“To better enforce this, a licensing system that limits the number and location of outlets allowed to sell tobacco products should be introduced, with licences that are subjected to yearly renewal.

“It is difficult to ban cigarettes altogether, but serious deterrents need to be introduced to stop people from getting cigarettes so easily,” he said, renewing CAP’s call to raise the minimum legal age of purchase of tobacco products from 18 to 21 to match the legal voting age.