[Stuart]

Originally Posted by rogermevans

smoking cost the NHS about £2.7 billion last year

see
http://www.javno.com/en/world/clanak.php?id=189736

but even though ASH did those calculations they still don't show the true figure as they don't include the many who end up being treated because of someone else's smoke affecting their asthma or other lung related ailments

i have been to hospital twice out of the 4 times last year because of an attack that started with someone else smoking near me and i have lost count of the extra medication i have had to take because of others peoples smoke ( thankfully a bit less now its getting banned from many places )

asthma cost the NHS £9 billion last year if even say 10% of that was added it would start to up that smoking cost
see
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...ug-Xolair.html


then start adding those with

ARDS
Bronchiectasis
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
Bronchoscopy
Cystic Fibrosis
Chronic Bronchitis (COPD)
Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive Disease (COPD)
Emphysema (COPD)
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Lung Function Tests
Lung Ventilation Perfusion Scan (VQ scan)
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM)
Pleurisy and Other Pleural Disorders
Pleural Effusion
Pneumonia
Pneumothorax
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS)
Sarcoidosis

then you can go on to heart attacks which although those who smoke are allready included they dont ingeneral include passive smoking ones in here and a number of place have now reported massive drops in heart attacks in areas where smoking has been banned in one orm or another

see here for one example

http://www.time.com/time/health/arti...869585,00.html

so any finacial argument over the roughly £10 billion revenue from cigarettes is really a non starter

Only if a significant percentage of those costs is due to smoking (be it passive or active).

as to alcohol

it cost the nhs about £2.7 billion to £25.1 billion

see
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_170745

against

£453.4 billion revenue from alcohol

see

http://www.politics.co.uk/news/economy/taxation/alcohol-duties/alcohol-duties-$366621.htm


so i dont see how these can be compared

Erm, your figures are out. That 453.4 billion was HMRC's total revenue.

Alcohol accounts for about £8.3 (or so) billion of that.

• HM Revenue and Customs' receipts for spirits duties in 2006-2007 were £2.2 billion, and are projected to be £2.3 billion in 2007-2008 .

• Revenues for wine duties in 2006-2007 were £2.4 billion, and are projected to be £2.5 billion in 2007-2008.

• Revenues for beer and cider duties in 2006-2007 were £3.3 billion, and are projected to be £3.4 billion in 2007-2008.

• These figures should be taken in the context of a projected total of HMRC receipts of £453.4 billion for 2007-8.

Statistics: (Source: HM Treasury, "Budget 2007")