When the Facts Change

How many lives is that tax cut worth?

New research reveals the repeal of smokefree measures is not only bad for our health, but also the economy.

10 May 2024

When the Facts Change

More about the episode

The Government has repealed various smokefree measures to ensure it keeps collecting $1.2 billion a year in tobacco taxes, in order to pay for tax cuts already being delivered to landlords. But an economic analysis done by Otago University's public health department has found keeping the smokefree measures would have been of benefit not only for public health, but also for the economy. The university's Professor Nick Wilson joins Bernard to discuss the fascinating figures resulting from that research.