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Annemiek Wassenburg January 16, 2024, 3:00 p.m
I no longer understand this situation. In any case, it is no longer my state. Vape, fresh without sugar, drugs, nitrous oxide.
Take the phenomenon of vaping. It would be a healthy alternative to real cigarettes. The seemingly harmless fruit flavors are now banned to discourage use. Vapes may just taste like tobacco. But the nicotine content plus the addictive components remain the same; often as much as in a whole pack of cigarettes. And if you can’t miss the taste, just go to Belgium or Germany. Vapes are an easy transition to real cigarettes. More than 50 percent of young e-cigarette users actually switch. Apparently no tax increase is being considered for this poor product.
An additional excise tax on sugar-free soft drinks: 27 cents/liter. These are healthy alternatives to sugary juices or Red Bulls. So what is the purpose of this tax? Supposedly to promote drinking water consumption of tap water, which is also subject to higher taxes. While bottled water doesn’t get more expensive. Despite the mountain of garbage it creates.
Don’t get rich on bread and water
Despite all the health problems, the excise tax on strong alcoholic beverages will only be increased slightly. Apparently the rich don’t need to be put on bread and water. Poor people do it; Even their food is becoming more and more expensive through all sorts of tricks. But the VAT reduction for fresh fruit and vegetables is still pending. So no prevention, just more tax revenue for those who have the least money.
One more thing: the purchase of medication is not taxed separately. Many traffic deaths and injuries after collisions caused by drivers who cannot distinguish their nose from the accelerator pedal: How healthy is that?
The disposal of nitrous oxide containers costs the municipality about 90 million annually, including the risk of explosion; Users risk suffering spinal cord injuries that can result in lifelong disability. There is no talk of additional taxes to curb all this dangerous nonsense. There’s really no way to explain that.
The cigarette is expensive
Cigarettes are becoming so expensive that poor people can no longer smoke. And the richer fellow human being can afford it. The reason given for the tax increase is the risk of lung cancer and other serious illnesses. Ask yours. Why should the poor be protected from this and the rich not? Lung cancer in rich people costs just as much, takes just as long and ends in the same deplorable way as in poor people. In addition, poor people are already at high risk of developing lung cancer because they live in a polluted environment full of PFAS and particulate matter. While the perpetrators, polluting companies, are still allowed to smoke. There’s really no way to explain that.
The state promotes and exploits gambling addiction
Since the maximum bet per month rules are not monitored and enforced, the Internet gambler is not protected from addiction. This becomes a wallet on legs from which the state can freely draw taxes. The more addicts, the more money it brings to the state. And all the more lifelong debt, damaged children and partner violence. But youth care doesn’t get a cent extra.
Indeed, state. So this tax policy is really inexplicable. Certainly not for me.
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