Letter: Price of health

Robert Dow’s critique of proposals to use price to discourage unhealthy eating and drinking (Letters, 18 May) is exactly on the mark. I would only add that an honest appraisal by government of the costs of ill health should recognise that premature death is a saving on pensions and health care for the elderly.

I’d bet, at the very least, the two factors would cancel each other out if transparent accounting methods were applied.

This reinforces Mr Dow’s point that attempts to influence behaviour by taxation operate only as restrictions on individual choice, and with no ultimate financial benefit to society.

Rod Wallace

Standalane

Kincardine