Throwback Thursday: Insurance levy for smokers
Insurance Post’s Throwback Thursday steps back in time to August 1975 to remind you what was going on this week in insurance history when a report recommended smokers cough up for cover.
21 August 1975: Insurance levy for smokers
Anti-smoking charity recommended smokers should be compulsorily insured by means of a levy on each packet of cigarettes.
Action on Smoking and Health pointed out a 3p per packet levy would raise at least £210m a year, which could be used to compensate smokers and their families for the impact of the habit on their health.
According to Department of Health estimates at the time, one in seven of all deaths under the age of 75 was due to smoking.
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