Eddie Slams British American Tobacco Over Plans To Slash Cigarette Prices Post by: The Learned One 17 May, 2011 - 8:18 AM

(Photo: Getty Images)

As the tobacco industry threatens to flood the Australian market with cheap cigarettes, Eddie thought it was a good idea to get the media spokesman for British American Tobacco (BAT) on the line.

Listen to the entire heated discussion between Eddie and the BAT spokesman (8m 48s):

The aforementioned situation is looming as the government plans to force all cigarette companies to change their packaging to a plain olive-green colour.

And Eddie took exception with claims from BAT that it may have to slash the prices of its product to counter the black market and fight organised crime.

Do you agree with the government’s proposal?

 

Leave your comment

• Josh Cairns says

  I will be so proud if this disgusting scourge on society is banned during my lifetime.

  In Victoria we fine people billions of dollars each year for driving 2kp/h over the speed limit because it is dangerous and MIGHT kill or injure someone... yet we allow people to engage in this ridiculous activity which will almost certainly kill people.

  Australia spends tens of billions each year to fight global terrorism which kills how many Australians? How does this stack up against the number of Australians killed by tobacco companies which, which do so legally and for enormous profits each year.

  Posted Tuesday 17 May, 2011 8:44 AM
• Dave says

  Hopefully they will send themselves broke, but as with Coles and Safeway with milk prices, it will be the tabacco grower who loses out.
  There will always be underground sources of any legal or illegal products; that argument is not a pro for smoking companies.
  I fully agree with Josh.
  I was a smoker since age 7-8 and have quit twice. Never did I smoke because of the packaging.

  Posted Tuesday 17 May, 2011 9:36 AM
• Kyle Spielhagen says

  I agree that Smoking should be banned. In the interest of fairness though does not drinking cause just as much damage to people yet their have been no calls to ban alchohol.
  Just something to think about.

  Posted Tuesday 17 May, 2011 10:51 AM
• Pete Turner says

  If Big Tobacco wants to talk about being compensated for enforced loss of brand awareness, let's start by talkng about them compensating governments for the huge heath costs caused by smoking-related illnesses. That would almost certainly considerably outweigh any compensation they feel might be due to them.

  Posted Tuesday 17 May, 2011 4:18 PM