I don’t really care if people smoke tobacco, alfalfa or huff on a tail pipe for 10 minutes every hour or so, you get the same amount of carbon monoxide. As long as they deny them medical insurance then I am fine with it as long as they don’t smoke near me.
64% of our heart surgery patients smoke vs 21% of the population. We have had about a 50% drop in heart procedures in the past 2 decades which coincides almost perfectly with the drop in smokers from 42% to 21%. I can not find any strong statistical relationship between cholesterol and/or statins with the decline in heart procedures, but the change in smoking habits is a very good predictor of having a heart surgeon in your future.
So if you smoke, fine, I just don’t want to personally pay higher premiums because you and the junkies in Central Park need a carbon monoxide fix followed by a half million dollars of medical care.
Smokers ALREADY pay higher premiums, by far, than the general public.
While I don't dispute that smoking is a risk factor in many health issues, I would like to see the study that you got your figures from.
Who died and appointed you King?
Just so you know cigar smokers have a higher life expectancy than those who do not smoke cigars.
Check out this picture from the Old Metropolitan Opera House:
The guy in the back right corner is smoking a cigar. It is a civilized thing to do. Only the unenlightened would ban it.
ML/NJ
Then let's deny medical insurance to skiers.
ML/NJ
LOL! I live in North Dakota. The air in Central Park is a carbon monoxide fix!
I cannot think of a better way to give organized crime a shot in the arm. This could be even bigger than street drugs. Just imagine if the Mexican narcos started running cigarettes instead of drugs?
Now, if you believe that any governmental entity is going to ban tobacco, then you've been living on another planet. Governments (city, state, and national) are as addicted to the taxes levied on tobacco products more than a crystal methamphetamine user. Governments will NOT give up their tax fix. They will bloviate about the smell and the health hazards and (blah, blah, blah), but the fact is they're hooked on the $$$$$.
What really ticks me off is this irrational war on smokers and their dehumanization. This is how irrational it is — NYC wants to ban e-cigarettes — because the LOOK like cigarettes and people are offended! So, it isn't that the e-cig doesn't smell or give off smoke, it's because it looks like a cigarette. Doesn't that sound somewhat irrational? It sure does to me.
“... As long as they deny them medical insurance...”
Who is “they?”
Shall they also deny insurance to those who are overweight? Who eat too many eggs? Who don’t exercise enough?
Who gets to define what is overweight? How many eggs are too many? How much exercise is enough?
You have obviously thought this issue through and feel strongly about it, so I’m sure you can clear these things up for me.
“I don’t really care if people smoke tobacco, alfalfa or huff on a tail pipe for 10 minutes every hour or so, you get the same amount of carbon monoxide.”
This statement tells me you are a fool.
“As long as they deny them medical insurance then I am fine with it as long as they don’t smoke near me.”
This statement tells me you are a supporter of Obamacare.
“64% of our heart surgery patients smoke vs 21% of the population. We have had about a 50% drop in heart procedures in the past 2 decades which coincides almost perfectly with the drop in smokers from 42% to 21%.”
This statement tells me you are flat out liar.
“So if you smoke, fine, I just don’t want to personally pay higher premiums..”
This statement tells me you are a collectivist.
When I look at your overall post, I have to wonder why you are even on FR.