COMMENT: Smoking is the filthy-rich, tax dodging, environment-trashing capitalist pig of vices, writes Paul Thomas.

A pack of 20 cigarettes will increase from about $20 now to around $30 in 2020 after hefty new excise increases were announced as part of the Budget.

Researchers are planning to use images of women's own unborn babies to warn them against the dangers of smoking during pregnancy.

A British medical organisation has called for the promotion of e-cigarettes as a safe alternative to smoking.

Worrying surge in number of young people ignoring tobacco health warnings.

A growing demand for black market cigarettes is believed to be the driving force behind a streak of violent robberies in Auckland.

Firms making e-cigarettes could be ripping off customers.

Parliament heard today that further tax hikes should be introduced over the next few years to curb smoking rates, which are around 17 per cent.

Here's four things I've learned about quitting.

Quitting smoking? Actually pretty easy.

I was, as they say in Palmerston North, totally maggot.

One week to go - only one week until I can go back to smoking 20 cigarettes a day.

Today, I look like a cartoonish stoner in a suit.

When you deprive your body of a substance it's addicted to, some pretty weird sh** starts to happen.

Secondhand smoke. You either love it or hate it. Sometimes it's both.

Maybe it was complacency, or naive bravado, or simple, glorious stupidity. I thought I had this beat.

Somehow I went 12 hours without putting on a patch. And I didn't even notice.

I could just have one cigarette. Just one cigarette couldn't hurt, right?

Here's my thoughts on quitting when you're feeling terrible - it sucks, writes Matthew Backhouse.

Shelley Bridgeman shares what eventually led her to quit smoking. Nicotine patches, e-cigarettes and going cold-turkey had nothing to do with it.