I remember reading that even though these levies are in place, the govt still ends up paying far more in healthcare costs for treating the various problems that arise from excess smoking and drinking.
Increasing the taxes for the unvaxxed would be a start, but I reckon there would still be a massive imbalance in the costs, just like for smoking and drinking. You can't dently them healthcare based on their income though, and no-one wants us to become even a little bit like the US.
Maybe they should just set up a hospital for the unvaxxed in Byron Bay...
It used to be true for smoking. But the taxes now actually make the govt a profit now. In more ways than one. As your more likely to live shorter no not as many years on the pension etc. If they were serious about our health. They would just say if your turning 18 today, you just can't smoke in your lifetime. That would remove that entire industry over the next 20 years.
Drinking is a whole another kettle of fish. It's the side thing rather than health issues that cause the most harm and cost the most. LIke domestic violence etc cause a much higher strain as it causes a massive misuse of resources via police attendance, family breakups requiring emergency housing etc. No way they are banning drinking though.
As for those who choose not to be vaxxed. It's going to be like the USA for some. It's all good until either a friend gets it and suffers horribly from it, or they do and that compels their family and friends who waited to run down and get themselves some jabs. In the USA those who have to go to the hospital have to pay for the costs now if they get COVID out of their own pocket. Thank god we don't have that system here. From my own personal experience, I had an accident that caused me to spend a year in rehab, on a disability pension, but I put the work in to get fit again, got my career back, and more than paid back the money the govt spent doing that for me. I'm sure not everybody has that drive, but enough don't want to live on the pension the rest of their lives. I watched enough people struggling trying that life growing up.