Slurs aside, let’s talk about the ethics of public health measures

Abstract

Predictable positions followed the recent announcement of an increase in tobacco tax by 12.5% a year for four years. Public health advocates praised the tax, labelling those questioning it as “tobacco industry apologists”. Libertarians, on the other hand, decried it as further evidence of the “nanny state” and The Australian’s Adam Creighton went as far as to compare the measure to Nazis. Apart from incensing readers, the noise from these well-worn positions drowns out significant public health concerns. The uncritical acceptance from public health and knee-jerk rejection from libertarians leaves little room to ask whether increasing the tobacco tax is unquestionably good. It’s time for a new conversation.