As everyone knows the State Excise Tax rates have increased and naturally this has directly affected the prices of cigarettes and prices have notably gone up. Apart from the talks about the financial aspect of this tax rate increase, thinking from the social point of view one may think that due to this increase you can expect some reduction in smoking and eventually smokers.

As far as smoking activity is concerned, ask any smoker, he will never tell you he smokes because the cigarettes are cheap. Yes of course now a days you can buy cheap cigarettes online but the reason people smoke is definitely not because cigarettes are cheap. Some of the prominent reasons why people smoke are – they want to get some relief from stressful conditions, they have developed a habit of smoking, they enjoy doing it or they want to impress others. Less than 1% smokers should be smoking because cigarettes are cheap. Now, if this is true, whether price increase in cigarettes will have any effect on these stated factors? I don’t think so. And hence I think the number of smokers neither the amount of smoking of smokers will be reduced.

Smoking is fun, its not an activity for which you will think twice even if it costs somewhat more than you expect. You smoke to change your mood; you smoke because it makes you feel better. I think we are not reducing any smokers after increasing its cost. Indirectly the smokers now will spend more on their cigarettes but I think it just doesn’t matter!

Excuses for Smoking!

Smoking has become a day to day activity and it’s hardly you can’t see anyone smoking. Smoking was considered an activity of male adults a decade ago, but now we can see women and teenagers smoking. Parents today are seen to be fond of exposing their kids to cigarettes and that becomes an issue of glory in their business meetings. I really see no reason why someone should smoke but some great people have got great excuses for smoking. And some cigarette fans have gone to extent of extolling the benefits of smoking! Can you believe that? Yeh, Benefits of smoking!

Yesterday, I asked one of my friends, “why you smoke dear? It’s not at all necessary!” And then what he said was one of the most astounding answers I ever received for a serious question like this, says he “well, I think it’s necessary to keep you warm!” The next moment he lights a cigarette right in front of me and takes a puff! He gives answer so confidently as if smoking is a great social service; but he didn’t know he just exposed me to more than 3500 toxic substances. Now friends, this reason of smoking for keeping our self warm is one of the most famous excuses given by smokers these days. I am not debating on whether cigarette smoking gives you warmth or not, I am saying ‘you can keep yourself warmer by many other ways!’. Go and get a beautiful girl man! She can give you more warmth than the fire itself! You can even get warmth by following some diet habits. Yes, you can increase your body temperature sticking to specific diet; for e.g.; eggs increases your body temperature.

Cigarettes contain tobacco, its due to this substance you get a feeling of happiness. This acts on your brain and the feeling is result of its action on our internal body secretions. Apart from the neurochemistry I should say that smokers have got blend of reasons to support their smoking activity. One of other convincing reasons people give is that they loose some weight when they smoke. Now let me tell you this is true. Yes smokers have found to loose some weight, but consume tobacco to loose weight! Don’t get excited you wont loose too much of weight, you just loose some pounds. This is because you tend to eat less when you smoke; the feeling of hungriness looses its strength. And that’s why you tend to eat less and loose some weight. But you can loose more weight by running just about one km; or by eating one pizza less in whole month. But smokers find the other awkward way of loosing weight more satisfying! No body accepts they are addicted! But they never fall short of giving excuses for smoking.