TPO 53 Many countries require cigarette smokers to pay particularly high taxes on their purchases of cigarettes similar taxes are being considered for unhealthy foods The policy of imposing high taxes on cigarettes and other unhealthy products has a nu

The reading and the article are both contradict each other, in terms of putting high taxes on cigarettes and other unhealthy products. More specifically, the writer discusses that imposing high taxes on smoking products and unhealthy commodities would create numerous advantages. However, the lecturer casts doubt about the mentioned hypothesis in the reading and provides some evidence to refute them. According to the article, the first dispute focuses on that imposing higher taxes on unhealthy food products and cigarettes demotivate people to consume those products. Nonetheless, the speaker refutes this argument and declares that high taxes would force people to buy low-quality cigarettes and unhealthy food which may cause severe health problems to them. Thus, this solution is not practical. Moreover, another passage highlights that the idea of higher taxes is fair since unhealthy activities will cause more medical costs for society. Nevertheless, the narrator refutes this asserting that these taxes are unfair for people who are earning a low income. Furthermore, higher taxes would put much more burden on lower income people compared to rich people. Hence, this solution is not acceptable. Finally, the text explains that the economic benefits of imposing high taxes could help the government to perform social projects such as building sports centers, public gardens, and many more. On the contrary, the penman opposes the theory and describes that higher taxes bring a vast amount of money to the government. Thereby, the government might become dependent on such income and indirectly encourage people to smoke in public areas and private area which will help the government to make more revenue.