Poll: As cigarettes go up to $20 a pack in Australia, how much would you pay?
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Australian government have announced a plan of tax increases which will see the price of a standard packet of 20 cigarettes rise to over $20 (£13) in the next 5 years.
The hope is that pricey cigarettes will encourage smokers to kick the harmful habit. The move will come as no surprise to Australian smokers, who already contend with some of the toughest anti-smoking laws in the world. Last year the government introduced a law preventing companies from including any branding on cigarette labels.
But is raising prices really an effective public health measure? And how much is too much for an nicotine addict to pay for a packet of cigarettes?
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments