So in effect, the UK are still treating smoking illnesses on the NHS, diseases from where other countries are taking the taxes.

I agree with that quote Robby, but then you go into the scenario of probability and statistics....in other words, how many of the population still smoke and how many of them go on holiday abroad two or three times a year to keep their supply of cigs up...year in year out for X amount of years or their entire life span.?...hence why the government are trying to cut out the smuggling of large quantities to sell to the population on the black market.....otherwise it just defeats the object, doesn't it.?

Cut the supply of smuggled cigs into the country and with the present high prices to also act as a deterrent, resulting in a falling rate of smokers, the government weigh the loss in revenue against the expenditure of treating smoking related illness on the NHS.

Swings and roundabouts really.