Rob Bushell Picture Ref: 77409-66A LEADING medical journal has suggested that tax on cigarettes should be increased by 50 per cent every year.

But smokers in Swindon yesterday did not think the rises would make them give up the habit.

An editorial in The Lancet called on the measure to be introduced in rich and poor countries to prevent a worldwide epidemic of lung cancer.

Dave Andrew

But Rob Bushell, 49, of Lawn, will not be giving up his 20-a-day habit if Gordon Brown takes up this proposal.

He said: "It wouldn't make me stop. If I was told to stop by my doctor then I would.

"But until I feel any side-effects I will carry on enjoying it.

"You come to a pub and you have a beer and a fag."

Rob, a computer consultant, has been smoking since he was 15.

He said: "I feel fine. There's no problem."

He says his partner Lynda, 44, is a vegetarian who is into running, and has done several half marathons.

He said: "She's a health freak. She doesn't smoke and I think she would want me to stop, but we just respect each other's way of life." Rob is more concerned about proposals to ban smoking in pubs.

He said: "If they're now talking about increasing taxes as well as banning smoking in pubs, that would be wrong. It should be one or the other.

"But I'd be pretty miffed if I couldn't smoke in a pub."

Simon Clark, director of pro-smoking group Forest, said: "They are living in cloud cuckoo land. We have already seen the effects of increasing tobacco tax to record levels in this country in the late nineties.

"It provoked a smuggling epidemic that resulted in millions of cheap cigarettes being smuggled in the country.

"The result was that the treasury lost over £3 billion in revenue.

"It also meant cheap cigarettes fell into the hands of smokers, including many children.

"In the last four budgets Gordon Brown has only increased tax by inflation, because he realised higher increases are counter-productive."

Amanda Sandfjord, research manager for anti-smoking lobbyists ASH, said: "This is a bit utopian.

"The concept is fine because cancer rates continue to increase, so radical measures need to be put in place.

"But the Government is not likely to take this proposal seriously.

"It would cause a big shift towards the black market, as these prices would be beyond the reach of most people."

Dave Andrew