Larry Williams Drive

I've had a bit of time now to look at the so-called 'independent advice' released by Casey Costello on the efficacy of heated tobacco products which she's so curiously and steadfastly supported. To remind you, there is one company that has been providing these heated tobacco products in New Zealand: Philip Morris.  That company's external relations manager is the former chief of staff for New Zealand First and while Casey Costello says she has no links to the tobacco industry and that the tobacco industry has nothing to do with the policies she supports, she insists the heated tobacco products have a 'similar risk profile to vapes,' and so she wanted to see the excise tax on these products halved.  What did the official advice say? First of all, the tax side - Philip Morris had a monopoly on the market, so it was hardly surprising that Treasury pointed out there was nothing that would make Philip Morris pass on excise tax cuts to consumers. And then, the health side. The Ministry of Health could fin