Jump to full article: Global Times (cn), 2009-06-22
Author: Jia Wen
Intro: The consumption of luxury cigarettes paid for with public funds is even more rigid. . . .
Moreover, some of the additional tax revenues from the rate increase will be turned into smoke and ashes, running counter to both aims of the rate adjustments.
Given these facts, smoking with private and public money should be dealt with differently.
Tobacco consumption with one's own money can be somewhat affected by a price increase, but not so much as the consumption of ordinary goods. . . .
A feasible choice is to strengthen the publicity of negative aspects of smoking. Typical examples are Thailand, where terrible pictures of smoke-related illness are printed on each cigarette box, and Hong Kong, which allows smokers only limited places to smoke.
Such measures, however, are not enough to counter smoking with public money. In this case, one needn't pay a penny for the cigarettes, so the positive aspect of smoking is greatly amplified, even encouraging non-smokers to start.
The best medicine to cure the chronic disease of officials overspending taxpayer money on luxurious cigarettes is rule of law and accountability.
As they are spending taxpayers' money, the officials must assure the public their money is being spent in a reasonable way.
Laws and regulations regarding official consumption should be stringently enforced, and the officials themselves should welcome supervision of their spending from the news media and the public. Anyone who ignores the laws and regulations shouldn't be allowed to escape accountability.
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