Hello Everyone,
Let's us imagine a world where drinking alcohol is a luxury and smoking cigarette cost people a lot fortune, would this actually stop people being addicted to all this stuff?
For me about the issue of Alcohol consumption like drinking gins, beer, vodka etc, I don't really have much idea about it, since my last experience with getting drunk on palm wine mixed with chocolate Vodka drink, this was during my University school days, it was my birthday and my friends throw a party for me, since I never intended to do anything like party.
They sponsored the DJ and Some of them bought some palm wine with it. Although I brought some soft drinks and a chicken. I never really knew the palm wine my friends brought to the party was missed with some high amount of alcohol, so I drank a lot of the palmwine lol, the results of that was very chaotic for me.
Sugar consumption has been a very long-term addiction thing for people, even if sugar prices doubled or tripled, people would definitely still buy it,this would lead to unfairness in people that doesn't have much to buy, I mean people who earned less income would be at disadvantage.
My thoughts on what will happen if higher taxes was placed on alcohol, cigarette and sugar,
Honestly I don't think placing big tax on the above substances reduce addiction, instead people with always find a way around it, no Matter the method or ways the government tries to Curb it,
The government might make more revenue through the excess taxes, it's not a thing of suprise that a lot of people drink a lot of drinks containing alcohol, even cigarettes and sugar; the youths of my country find solace in smoking and even drinking to stupor. So definitely the government will make more money from the taxes. I also think that the Number of consumers will reduce and then maybe a small amount of people will stop their addiction but this won't be effective on the long run.
Here In Nigeria people would find a way to bypass the taxes, they can even smuggle some alcoholic drinks to the country, even when huge taxes are not on all these products, people still smuggles a large amount of them into the country. I trust my 9ja people 🤣.
Think of it, some people would actually quit the addiction but others would engage in illegal smuggling which can increase the black market activities in the country.
For me it's definitely not a Effective solution to stopping the addiction but it will make some numbers of people stop.
What other ways can we try to curb the issue of addiction?
I strongly believe on Education and Awareness, with good knowledge of risk and repercussions of taking harmless substances, they might change their ways and reduce consumption.
Educational campaign can in long run have positive effects in stopping addiction in people. Another way I thought of is Government Regulation and Support. The government can regulate the importation and manufacturing of any alcohol drinks. Sugar production too can be regulated for the good of people.
This is My response to the Hive Learner Prompt #hl-w164e3
