▶ Your Answer :
In the reading passage, there is ample support for the author’s claim that there are many advantages in tax increasing.
However, the professor in the lecture gives several rebuttal to the author’s point.
First, the professor contends that tax increasing cannot deter potential smokers from smoking .
This is because the young smoker will buy tobacco from black markets.
Since black markets sell tobacco at a cheaper price, young smokers who have less money will buy it from smugglers and black markets.
Also teenagers can easily get hold of tobacco through smugglers in that smugglers does not check their Identification card.
This casts doubt on the reading passage’s assertion that a higher tax will make teenagers less likely to start smoke because they are not able to afford a high price of tobacco.
Next, the professor insists that increasing tax give no benefits to the environment.
A higher tax will not result in additional tax revenue for the environment.
If the tax of tobacco increases, people will less likely to buy tobacco and it will ultimately cause decrease in the tax revenue.
This counters the reading passage’s claim that government can repair the damage caused by tobacco cultivation with the tax revenue.
Finally, the professor maintains that a higher tax will not be advantageous in reducing poverty as in economical profit.
Current tobacco industry creates a lot of jobs in retail and manufacture.
However, if the sales of tobacco decline due to a higher tax, these jobs will disappear.
It will consequently affects adversely to economy.
This refutes the reading passage’s suggestion that tax increasing can reduce poverty by supporting social welfare programs and monetary aid. |