WHOA!!!!! Those are fightin words! Smokers are not a financial burden as you imply: Smoking-related healthcare costs are a pittance to overall healthcare costs (8% in my state of Wisconsin). If every smoker quit, healthcare costs would go down only temporarily and then rise above the amount you are complaining about now, because nonsmokers get sick too and for more years. Smokers more than make up for their extra cost by dying (their choice-not yours) sooner; collecting less social security and pensions, and less time in nursing homes. The state tax on cigarettes is all gravy. This is all backed up by facts. You should know this if you're going to play with numbers. Not only did the Congressonal Research Service, at the request of rabid anti-smoker Henry Waxman, determine that smokers pay far more into the system than they cost the system, even the New England Journal of Medicine said the same. additionally the Master Settlement Agreement between the states and the tobacco companies was ossensibly to repay the states for "smoking related medical expenses" and that is paid 100% by smokers, not by the tobacco companies. Smokers not only pay "their own damn bills," they pay the bills for a whole hell of a lot of nonsmokers as well. And they/we have since at least 1994 when taxes were a lot lower than now. The only way you can conclude that smokers cost society is to make the assumption that no one else ever gets sick, has an accident, or dies. You've been hornswoggled by the anti juggernaut.
Smokers more than make up for their extra cost by dying (their choice-not yours) sooner; collecting less social security and pensions, and less time in nursing homes. The state tax on cigarettes is all gravy. This is all backed up by facts. You should know this if you're going to play with numbers.
How can this be? Especially given that the whole point of the posted article is the opposite and posting smoker after posting smoker has asserted that smoking doesn't harm their health?
I wish the other smokers would stop the denial at least. Smoking is a health hazard.
I'm not trying to impune you, but one of my biggest pet peeves is the smokers that will show up in an area I'm at with my children & then have the gall to start smoking & not be willing to put it out on request.
I don't want to even get into the incidences of rude conduct I've witnessed from nicotine addicts needing a hit.
This is a large part of the reason for the current backlash against smokers now. At least for me. No one here at FR is more in favor of limited gov. than I, but I'm not going thru the rest of my life arguing with nicotine addicts about whether or not they are going to smoke around me & my children. I'm done arguing. You leave or you put it out. MY VOTE! BAN SMOKING!!!!!