I don't know Australia, but in Poland total taxes from tobacco and alcohol are similar to income tax, and to healthcare budget. -Tobacco and alcohol tax: 40 bi

I don't know Australia, but in Poland total taxes from tobacco and alcohol are similar to income tax, and to healthcare budget. -Tobacco and alcohol tax: 40 billion PLN 2013 [1] -Personal income tax 42 billion PLN 2012 [2] -Healthcare budget: 64.5 billion PLN 2013 [3] Cigarettes (and to a lesser extent alcohol) account for 2/3 of whole healthcare, for everyone! And smokers pay retirement insurance for whole life, statistically getting nothing. Especially when being male; females have 5 years lower retirement age and live 7.8 years longer. 5+7.8+10=22.8 years difference. So a male smoker pays every month, but gets nothing. [1] - http://natemat.pl/77753,alkohol-i-papierosy-sa-dla-polskiego-budzetu-wazniejsze-niz-podatek-pit http://natemat.pl/77753,alkohol-i-papierosy-sa-dla-polskiego... [2] - http://www.pit.pl/aktualnosci-podatkowe/2011/archiwum-2011-v/0905-ile-panstwo-zarabia-na-podatkach-9854/ http://www.pit.pl/aktualnosci-podatkowe/2011/archiwum-2011-v... [3] - http://pulsmedycyny.pl/2642297,42366,znamy-budzet-nfz http://pulsmedycyny.pl/2642297,42366,znamy-budzet-nfz