On 20 February Finance Minister, Tito Mboweni, delivered the 2019 Budget Speech.
In the speech, the minister announced that the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes will go up by 114 cents to R16.66, and that the excise duty on a typical cigar will go up by about 64 cents to R7.80.
The latest price increase in cigarettes and other tobacco products means that feeding your addiction will give your pocket a serious knock.
In the current economy, can one really afford to maintain such an expensive habit, which will not only make you poorer, but may also cause irreparable damage to your body?
Here are six articles you should read before taking another drag:
The first steps are always the hardest. There is never going to be a better time to quit smoking than right now. This article guides you through the ways you can quit smoking for good.
Here’s what happens to your body when you quit smoking
The benefits of quitting smoking are almost immediate. If your heart rate and blood pressure return to normal within 20 minutes, imagine the impact over a number of years.
SEE: 9 nasty effects smoking has on your body
If reading about the health benefits of quitting smoking isn’t enough, take a look at the above article, which highlights what smoking does to the individual organs of your body.
7 readers reveal how they quit smoking
Smoking can be an incredibly hard habit to break. You might be confused as to how to go about it or when to start. This article gives you some insight into how some of our readers kicked the habit.
Breaking the smoking-drinking connection
Smoking and drinking are two habits that usually go hand-in-hand. Researchers found out just how dangerous and damaging this connection actually is.
As a smoker you’ve most likely tried quitting smoking more than once, only to give in to the urge soon after. This article helps to keep you from lapsing back into the habit and sticking to a healthier lifestyle.
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