Do you know what, is actually very hard to find good data on this!
Ash, who are an anti-smoking body claim they cost us.
TMA, who are the tobacco manufacturers association, unsurprisingly say they make the treasury fortunes, if you consider the full taxation of the industry – but they include employee PAYE in that, which is fairly rude.
Then there is ‘Full Fact’ who are a charity set-up to provide unbiased information, who are of course run by a Tory right winger who only seeks to push Pro-Brexit and other right of centre causes opinion as fact.
The only upside, smokers are a dying breed, literally and the youngster who are replacing them are into vaping now, which may or may not be safe, no one really knows (okay some do, but they aren’t telling) but as it’s not technically smoke, they can do it indoors and it’s still very, very addictive which helps with customer retention no end.