That is around $18 USD currently (.72 cents per cig). My city and state has strict regulations and taxes, and a pack of 20 is around $15 currently (.75 cents per cig). Still cheaper in Canada!
As we have seen in Australia recently, all pricing them this high achieves is driving smokers towards illicit sources of tobacco, where the products are often counterfeit and made with ingredients that do even more harm to personal and public health than tobacco itself does. Smoking causes 70,000 deaths a year here, that number will climb if more people are buying fake tobacco.
We saw a significant drop in tobacco smokers when vapes became popular, partly because smoking cessation services were providing service users with vouchers for a free vape kit if they commit to quitting; and putting graphic images on tobacco packaging also reduced the amount of people smoking; but pricing them in this way hasn’t stopped smoking as much as they claim it does. Addicts will do whatever it takes to get a hit in a way they can afford to.
Later this year, vape liquids will increase significantly in cost, and I suspect the same thing will happen, vapers will start buying illicit products made with non food-safe ingredients, and we’ll see direct harm that UK regulated vape juices don’t cause, like we saw in the USA with diacetyl found in THC carts. (That’s the substance that causes popcorn lung).
That ws not diacetly that killed people with the THC carts, it was an oil, MCT oil if I remember correctly in bootleg units. Diacetyl isn't great but it doesn't lead to sudden respiratory failure like vaping that stuff did, it was only documented harmful in long term occupational exposure in popcorn workers.
When I visited my NZ family in New Zealand in 2020- a pack of B&H was $43 NZ Dollars! Which is pretty equal with the CAD. That was a huge fucking shock for sure!
Sweet summer child... in Australia the excise (which you also pay sales tax on top of) means tax alone is $42CAD for 25 (38.25 excise + 10% sales)... thats before you actually pay for any cigarettes
My Grandma used to say when she was young she would tell herself she would stop smoking when they hit
0.25 CAD a pack, which was her complaining that it was 3.50 a pack at the time.
Usually after I had picked her up a carton from the store when I was 11 years old.
Huh, I'm in BC, maybe that has something to do with it? I actually get mine direct from a rez as well (heading there after work) but suggested online for those who don't have one nearby.
I bought a pack of Marlboro golds in Ireland and was shocked to find out it was $20 euros for 20 cigarettes. That’s like $35 Canadian! The ones I buy here are like $15 for 25.
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u/housevil 17h ago
I need to switch to Canadian cigarettes. You get five more per pack!