Quitting smoking just got easier

From the first of February 2011 quitting smoking aids such as Champix will be subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. These measures can only be a positive move for anyone wishing to quit smoking, although the move has created debate regarding the use of taxpayer dollars to fund this scheme. For low income individuals this move will provide access to effective stop smoking aids which may previously have been out of reach due to high costs. The addition to the PBS  will have a significant impact on the cost of treatment, a bill of $160 per month will be reduced to $5.00 per month

Individuals in lower socio economic groups are more likely to be smokers that members of higher socio economic groups. The expense spent on smoking could be better applied in these groups rather than being thrown away on such a detrimental habit. Providing cheap and effective anti-smoking programs will hopefully encourage individuals to give up smoking.

The cost to the health system of smoking related diseases is exorbinant, especially considering smoking is initially a choice. Each year smoking related diseases result in 15,000 Australian deaths and a cost to the economy of $31.5 billion. The cost of the new scheme is part of a $340 million package, also including some prostate cancer and blood disorder medications, which compared to the $31.5 billion seems like a small price to pay. Debate has divided community opinion, with a recent poll by the Daily Telegraph of 3471 people split 46% in favour and 54% opposed to the subsidisation of these quit smoking aids. Several good arguments are made regarding the source of funding for this new scheme and the effectiveness of the program. Tax dollars from smoking contribute around $6 billion dollars to the government which can easily fund the subsidisation of these quit smoking aids and make the scheme viable. It is however the cost of heatlthcare and other support services, $31.5 billion mentioned before, which far outweighs the tax income generated from cigarettes. Reducing this burden would then enable spending on other areas of society and eliminating it completely would see $25.5 billion free to spend in other areas of the economy. It should be noted that the burden due to smoking will never be completely eliminated until people completely cease this behaviour.

While smoking is initially a choice it must be recognised that conquering the nicotine addiction usually requires help and is not always successful first time round. It is widely agreed that the best way to quit is not to start in the first place, however those who were not aware of the serious health consequences, when they began their habit, do require assistance in many instances. The nicotine addiction is replicated by these treatments and over the program the level of nicotine provided to the body is reduced to gradually wean the body off their addiction. Some comments have been made to the effect that you are replacing one source of nicotine addiction with another, which is true, however a patch does not have the additional damage caused by smoke entering the lungs. This nicotine addiction is eliminated by the reduction over time and is a much more effective method of quitting compared to cold turkey.

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Quit Now: National Tobacco Campaign