I was out with a friend yesterday he took up smoking whilst working in Saudi Arabia recently. As he'd run out of his duty frees he popped into sainsburys to get a pack and they were £9!!! I nearly fell out of the car. He has 3 a day but who the heck can afford to smoke 20 a day? What a terrible waste of money.
edit: it's Stoptober soon, lots of support around to quit - for October at least!
Hi peeg, wow , so glad I don't smoke anymore , so it's expensive to damage ur lungs but cheap to rot ur liver ( I don't drink either due to liver problems ) oh well everymans poison as they say. X Sonia x
I've never done much of either, boring me! Got plenty of other vices though. 
Hi both my neighbours smoke 50 to 60 a day can't believe. That's how much they are now
That's crazy money, the government are raking it in! I'm sooo glad I don't smoke! huff xxx
Me too Huff. I'd rather run my car at £1 a day
Its interesting to have read recently as more and more people are giving up smoking, the colossal tax this greedy Government are raking in on ciggies is diminishing too, and are planning a huge increase in tax on beer and wines etc IF they win the Election in a few months time - on "Health grounds" - oh yes ! - I for one don't believe a word of it ...
Thanks I will remind my son of this when he pleads poverty. He gave up for 5 years and has been back on them for 18 months and doesn't seem to be able to stop. £3276 a year for a pack of 20 a day!!!
Most cigarettes aren't as much as £9 - I have seen lots for £7 something. Something not many people realise is that the cost automatically rises by 5% every year as well as the budget amount and cost of living rises. No wonder so many smoke rollies now with lots getting them from a 'mate in the pub'. The Govt. is killing the goose which lays the golden eggs. If they really wanted people to stop they would ban the sale of them completely, but they won't do that coz the huge amount of money they make will they? Enough to fund the the entire health service 3 times over is what I have heard. x
no coughalot true what you say all they have done is put them out of sight behind doors and they were talking about less atractive standard packaging
If they banned fags they'd just tax something else so they wouldn't lose either way, they never put booze up that much and that kills a lot quicker, somebody drink driving can kill numerous people in one go , fags do take a lot longer, alcoholics cost the nhs just as much with liver disease, and rta's they cause. Don't know why I'm moaning I don't drink or smoke anymore lol x Sonia x
They won't tax booze like that because they would loose the large booze industry Party donations.
My friend came to see me yesterday and told me how much a packet cigarettes are now, she also said there were 19 in a packet
As an ex smoker I would make them £90.00 a packet
I'm gonna be really honest, I'm an ex smoker due to my troubles, but I really enjoyed smoking, I know that's the addiction but b4 I became ill everytime they went up I sed I was gonna pack in but I didn't I just kept paying the rising prices, just a shame it took me to become ill to pack in, oh well what's done is done and whats gonna be will be. X Sonia x
Hi peeg. I was smoking. Mm eating between 60 and 80 Parkdrive Plain Yes A day. When at work it was 60. How did I afford it? I stopped in 1985 the money that I spent on cigarettes I placed in a glass sweet jar. Yes even now yes differently I still put the money away lol yes I use a large biscuit tin. Lol the bottom fell out of the jar. Honestly this is the truth, it pays all our bills and more plus it pays for our 3 weeks annual holidays. If I hadnt stop when I did I know now that I wouldn't be sat here Typing this bless
That's almost 30 years, well done you.
Of course they didn't cost so much then so do you put more in your pot as it he prices go up?
I gave up in 2004 in those days I was like a factory chimney 5 packs a day and if you say £9 a pack that would cost me nearly £50 or £350 a week I could not do that so it gets me how people still do and what they do with out.
Crumbs. Apparently there are cheaper @ £7 then Benson & Hedges are £10.50!
That's quite a few ££££££ per week, month, year. I don't get it either, how folks can spend that much.
Hi Peeg, at them prices it amazes me how people afford to smoke, think drugs may be cheaper these days and booze definitely is. However having said that tea out can cost upto £4 a cup so you can only get two for nine pounds guess we have to stay home where the teabags are only a few pence.
If all that tax your friend paid for his cigs went on the NHS we would have the finest NHS in the world
This is exactly the reason I smoke roll ups!!!
Not all cigarettes are that expensive... some of the cheaper brands are between £5-£6 for 20, but even so, it's extortion!! They cost pennies to make... AND are far more dangerous than rolling tobacco (so my nurse AND doctor tell me - I am 35 and have COPD).
I spend £16 on 50g rolling tobacco, which I smoke with a filter, and that lasts me almost a week... and I smoke far more than 20 a day!
I dread to think how much it would cost me in ordinary branded cigs... a lot more than £16 a week, I'll bet!!!
35 and have copd. Good luck for the future.
help needed with a deep hacking phlegmy cough.
Confused messages from the Dr
Table tennis consultant and Gp 
Follow up doctors & Respiratory physio 
Frankie (copd stage 4 )
