Reference no: EM13795835
In generalcigarette smokers andalcoholicsbelievethat their smokinghabitaffectsonly their healthbut researchers haveprovedthatitalsoaffects their worklivesandbusiness (Indiana, 2011). Employeeswhosmoke during workinghoursgo outside theofficefrequentlyfor the smoke. Itcreates a disturbanceforotherstaffswhenthey are looking out for them. Theproductivity of theteamperformancedecreases as well. Problemsrelated to Smoking andalcoholabuse can have an economic, environmental, andhealthimpactthat in turnaffectsthecountryand its economy. Allcountries should create a systemforminimizingtheeffects of smokingandalcoholabuse by imposingrestrictions on their citizensandbusinesses (smith, 2007)
Alcoholism is a seriousdisease that affectsthelives of millions of individuals around theglobe. Italsodestroysfamilies, depressesnationalsecurity, compromiseseconomicvitality, andoverwhelmsthecountry's healthcaresystems (WHO, 2004). More than 50% of alladultshave a familyhistory of alcoholism. 30% of adultsaged 18 yearsandoverhavehadalcoholismorengaged in alcoholabuse at someinstance in their lives.
Drinkingimpacts their families, communities, andsociety in general. Untreated addictioncosts America $400 billion per year, andrecentresearchfindingsshowthatalcoholismandalcoholabusealonecosttheeconomy of thecountry about $185 billion annually.(alcoholismandalcohol-induceddiseasesinAmerica 2011) 15% of thisvalue is thecost of medicalexpenseandalcoholtreatment; more than 70% is due to reducedandforgoneincome.
Approximately 16 million people in America are living with a diseasecaused by smoking. Foreverypersonwhodiesbecause of smoking, at least 30 peoplelive with a serioussmoking-related illness. Smokingcausescancer, diabetes, heartcomplications, stroke, lung infections, andchronic obstructive pulmonarydisease (COPD). Smokingalsoincreasestheriskfortuberculosis, eyediseases, andimmunesystemcomplications. Italsocauses erectile dysfunction in males.
Globally, tobaccousecausesapproximately 6 million deaths per year. Ifthetrendcontinues, statistics showthatsmoking will causenearly 8 million deathsannually by 2030. Cigarettesmokingcausesmore than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States, including 41,000 deathsresulting from passivesmoking. It is approximately 20% of deathseveryyearor 1,300 deaths per day.
Newresearchshowsthat smokers die ten yearsearlier than nonsmokers. Ifsmokingpersists at thecurrentrate among U.S. youth, 5.6 million of today's Americans below theage of 18 years are expected to dieprematurely from a smoking-related illness.
Sintax
Commodities that are consideredsinful traditionally attracttheheaviestduties, andit is these that are thefocus of thispaper. Governments rely on indirecttaxes on consumergoods as a source of revenue. ‘Sinful' commoditiessuch as tobaccoandalcoholhavealwaysbeentaxedmore than othercommodities. Othercountrieshavecalledfornewtaxes on food with a lot of fatandsugarydrinks, as well as a minimumcostfor a unit of alcohol.
Thosepeople that consumeunhealthyfoodplace a lot of burden on publichealthfacilitieshencejustifyingtheaddition of tax to discouragepeople from consumingtheseproductsandsavingthecountrysomemoney.
Cigarettetaxing isrecognized as one of themostsignificantpolicymechanisms to reducesmoking. Giventhatsmokingand drinking oftenoccurtogether, a study has examinedcigarettetaxationandfoundthatincreasesareassociated with modest to moderatereductions in alcoholconsumption among vulnerablegroups. (Sherry M, 2014).
Tobacco can increasethesubjectiveeffects of alcoholandincreasestheriskforheavyalcohol drinking. Smokers drinkmoreoftenandmorelikely than non-smokers to meettherequirementsforalcoholabuseordependence. The co-occurrence of smokingand drinking isparticularly of clinical importancegivenproofthathealthconsequences, exponentially increase with combinedabuse of alcoholandtobacco as opposed to singularabuse of bothalcoholandcigarette.
Cigarettetaxeshavebroadpopulationreachandhavebeenrecognized as one of themostsignificantpolicyinstruments to reducesmoking (McKee, 2011). Increases in cigarettetaxeslead to a decrease in smoking, increases in quitting, anddecrease in cigarette-related morbidity andmortality. By increasingcigarettepricesby raising taxes, smokers are forced to reduceorstopsmokinganddiscourage non-smokers from starting to smoke. By furtherincreasingalcoholtaxes, thisalsoencouragesleavingorreduction of intake in the nonsmoking alcoholics (McKee, 2011).
Aswell as causingbodilyharm, excessive drinking can lead to mentalhealthproblems. Alcohol is in thecategory of depressants. Itmeansthatitslows down thecentralnervoussystemhenceaffectingmood. Itmakesthosepeoplewhoabusealcohol to suffer from depressionandotherkinds of mentalillness. Alcoholconsumption isstronglyassociated with suicidaltendencies. Mostpeoplewhotake their lives are under theinfluence of alcoholwhentheydoit. Drinkingtoomuchleads to slowresponsesandpoorjudgment.
Alcohol is a primarysource of non-useful calories. Thebodystoresglucose as excess fat. Notonlydoesitcontributeno vitamins orminerals, italsopreventstheabsorption of nutrients from othersources. Whenyoustopdrinking, your body can absorb vitamin C, thiamin, vitamin B12, folic acid, and zinc. Excessivealcohol drinking has proven to be a problemforindividuals with weightissues. If one has weightgoals to maintain, theyfindit is mucheasier to stayactivewhensober. Exercisehelp's, butthe effectiveness of working out diminishes as consumptionrises. Alcoholslows down musclerecoveryand metabolism hencecompromising your endurance.
Thesefactsshowthebenefits of stopping drinking. Without alcohol one getmorefitness from their exercise meaningworkouts are moresatisfying. One has moreenergy during thedayandgetsmorerestfulsleep at night. One is all-around healthierand a moreresilientindividual. Itis furthertransferred to thenationand as thephrasegoes "healthydemocracy is a workingcountry." By increasing the tax on cigarettes, there will be a reduction in smoking which alsoreducestheabovehealthrisksand in turnbenefitsindividualsandthegovernment.
Analystsagreethat an increase in price will reducealcoholicdrinksalesandconsumption. Manyindividuals will drinklessoftenhenceforced to switch to lowerproofliquorandcheapersoftdrinksandother non-alcoholic beverages. Researchindicatethat a 10% increase in beerprices would cause a 4% decrease in sales, with a slightlylargerdecreasefor a similarpriceincreasefor wine andliquor.
Therevenuecollected from Federal, stateandlocalalcoholicbeveragesourceswasestimated to be $102billion in 2012. Thevalue is less than $185 billion, which is thecost of alcoholismandalcoholabuse. Itis an indicationthat there is aneed to increasetaxes on alcoholandcigarette.
Alcoholism is a dearhabit. Depending on one's lifestyle, the level of addiction, andthetype of brand, one could be spendingapproximately $70 to $300 a week on alcoholanddrinkingrelatedactivities. That's an average of $3640 to $15,600 a yearor $36,400 to $156,000 over a decade of alcoholism. Alcoholism can alsohave an enormouseffect on one's earning potential. Once one quitsdrinking, they can startfocusing on getting a job, oradvancing their educationorcareeragain. All thosewastedhoursspentwhile a person is in a drunkenstate can be put towards moreproductiveends. Itbrings a positivechange in theindividual's economicstatus that is furthertransmitted to thecountry's economy.
Acommonreasonpeopleabusealcohol is thatithelps them to be moresociable. It is certainlytruethat drinking lowersinhibitions, but there is alsoa nonepleasantside to thiseffect. There are severalsocialreasonswhy one should quitalcohol that includes: If peopleengage in drinkingtoomuch, it can not onlymake them talkativebutalsoargumentative, meaningthattheysaythings that theylaterdeeplyregret.Ifpeoplefindthattheyhave a tendency to sayhurtfulorsillythingswhen under theinfluence, thenincrease in tax is a goodidea to ensuretheyquitdrinking due to unaffordability hencereducingthechance of committingthismistakes.
Going to thebarregularlysuitssomepeople. There are plenty of socialevents that do not involvealcohol. Alcoholfueledconversations can seemdeepandmeaningful at thetimebut once theparticipants sober up they can be hard to rememberor not worthremembering. Highprices will ensuremost of theparticipantsquitclubbingandengage in othersocialevents.
When one is a full-blown alcoholic, everyaspect of their lifesuffers. Their health, relationships, career, andemotionalwell-being. Themorethey spiral into the self-destructive cycle of alcoholism, themoredamage to them andeveryfacet of their life. Quittingalcohol not onlygive one an immediateimprovement in their overall health, italsoallowsoneto put slowly their lifebacktogether.
Adecrease in alcoholandcigaretteconsumptionlead's to decrease in conflict. Overtime, alcoholicsisolate themselves from thosewhoactuallycare about them. Once they sober up they can slowlyrebuildthosedamagedrelationships. Apersonalsostarts to formnew, healthyrelationships as well. Communicationalsoimprovesgraduallyforthebetter.