[tmnvix]

Long since past the point of smokers in Australia and NZ paying their own healthcare costs. Smokers subsidise the public healthcare system.

Unfortunately, the statistics are often muddied by externalised costs being assumed to include ~50k/year of lost life per smoker along with 'lost future income taxes'.

Generally smokers die earlier and more quickly. Ironically, living a very long life might actually cost society more due to many more years of intensive healthcare costs at the end of a long life.

I once heard an actuary claim that the tobacco taxes paid by smokers in NZ, if used for private health insurance for the individual, would afford the absolute best health cover available with funds to spare.

I apologise for not citing sources for the above claims. Quite frankly I am lazy and it would take some time (I have spent hours researching this in the past). You'll just have to take this as opinion.