I absolutely agree with you on this MS. That is the main...

I absolutely agree with you on this MS. That is the main motivating factor for the now low rate of smoking in our population today, the price of a packet of cigarettes and the huge excise on them in my opinion.

When I was a young fella nearly every male smoked. I can remember when my dad gave up smoking, he said he wouldn't pay anymore than 37 cents for a packet of 20. The price of tobacco kept increasing and the government kept jacking the excise on it, until it has become unaffordable for most people.

The way the fossil fuel industry is going with prices it is on it's way to going out of business or at least to pushing people to EVs. Admittedly some applications such as air and sea transport, some heavy earthmoving applications and possibly heavy haulage will still be wanting liquid hydrocarbons for some time into the future.