Cigarette Tax Receives Backing from Kidney Group

Kidney Health Australia has decided to give its assent to proposals to increase the tax on cigarettes.

"Reducing smoking, which is a big problem in Tasmania particularly in lower socio-economic areas, would have a huge effect if we could actually get the numbers down," said Caroline Mackintosh, from Kidney Health's Tasmanian branch. "It'd have a huge flow-on effect throughout the economy and waiting lists we have for beds and medical services for chronic disease."