The true cost of smoking

I've seen several posts lately about smoking and/or laws that affect smokers.

Smokers all claim that they have the right to use this highly addictive drug and that no one else should have any say in what they choose to do.

But the actions of smokers do affect others. Everyone, by now, is aware that second had smoke can cause disease that can lead to death. But smokers have rights, don't they?

Who pays for the poor person who gets lung cancer and wastes slowly away while their family watches? Some people have insurance that covers this cost but of course, all those who have insurance help to defray this cost.

If the person doesn't have insurance the the health care is covered by the government. So, the cost is shared by the taxpayers.

But smokers have rights.

OK, why not make smokers pay for their own health care by paying extra for their insurance? If you're not insured and you choose to smoke then you don't get any free health care.... You just get to die. That's not so nice but it's your choice to smoke , isn't it?

The other alternative is to place a tax on tobacco so that the health costs could be born by the smoker. That sounds like the fairest idea of all to me.

The cost per pack of smokes would then be $40 each or about $2 per cancer stick.

$40 per pack

Of course, that cost would increase if people chose not to smoke because of the true cost of smoking.

If someone dies because I was smoking next to them for 5 minutes, then their family can come tell me and I will pay for all the medical expenses.

Seriously I don't know anyone whos died because a guy was smoking at a bus stop.

reply to post by Wildbob77


By that logic we shouldn't let anyone eat junk food, go to Mcdonalds, watch TV, drink coffee, drink alcohol, use a cell phone, work a job where they will be exposed to chemicals, ect. ect.

God forbid they might get cancer and we'll have to pick up the tab, right?

Most people, if i'm smoking next to them and they don't like it, move the hell out of the way. It's not a hard concept.

what about smog from deisel busses and shipping trucks? We should wreck them to for poluting the world.... imagine $40 a cancer gallon of deisel... teach them to poison our lungs.

I don't really care if you smoke or not.

It's your right.

But I shouldn't have to pay for your health care.

Let's be fair. It's your choice to smoke. It should be my choice to not have to pay for your habit.

reply to post by LeTan


Exactly if they are so afraid of getting lung cancer than they can just move, or ask me to move.

Then they go eat Mcdonalds and forget about how smoking gives you heart disease.

reply to post by Wertdagf


Get me some statistics on the health care costs of smog and I might agree.

Of course if you believe in Al Gore we're all doomed so the costs won't matter.

reply to post by Wildbob77


Ok say I start getting lung cancer by the time i'm 70. I'm allready that old your gonna have to pay for some other disease I get that comes with getting old anyways.

Lung cancer is not the only disease in the world...

Eating at McDonalds to my knowledge is not an addictive habit.

It is true that the obese have additional health care issues.

Perhaps you should have to pay more for health insurance if your BMI exceeds a certain number.

reply to post by theendisnear69


If you don't smoke, the chances of getting one of the nasty smoking related diseases is relatively small.

It's true that you might get something else but no one gets out of life alive.

I just don't think that my tax dollars should pay for you to die slowly and painfully. You should pay for that privilege by yourself.

This will be my only post on this thread, because you can only read so many posts by smokers insisting it's their right to smoke, and it's actually your car that is causing cancer, and that they are so polite when they smoke, and that you should be the one standing in the cold so they can smoke indoors, and they can smoke around their kids because they pay for the cigarettes and it's their kids, did I miss any of these rather telling reasons for smoking?

And they will keep going in circles about the smell of your perfume and the car you don't have and how it's your whining thats the problem, because if you would just sit there and let them smoke all over you things would be fab!

Peace out!



[edit on 29-1-2009 by Mynaeris]

Also we need to tax people with more than 2 children per family... im paying for their children to go to school and use our roads.... its an ever increseing need... i didnt agree to that.

I read an article once that talked about banning smoking.

Most smokers would end up so healthy that it would bankrupt the Social Security system much faster.

The government would have to increase the retirement age quite a bit because people would live too long.

reply to post by Wildbob77


Exactly no one gets out alive.

Youre gonna have to pay for someones disease. Smoker or Non Smoker

Oh Yes! Lets go shopping for health care insurance.

Please check all that apply:
Do you smoke?
Do you eat fast food?
Do you drink any alcoholic beverage?
Do you speed?
Do you drive a red car?
Are you taking any medications?
Have you had sex with more than 1 person?
Do you practice "safe sex"?
Do you consume food containing preservatives?
What's your BMI?
Are you depressed?
Have you been depressed in the past?
Oh, by the way.... how many times do you get sick each year?
How many times did you file a claim on health insurance last year?
Do you suffer from allergies?
Do you have children?
Do you feel stress?
Have you ever gotten into a fight, verbal or nonverbal?
Do you have negative thoughts?
Are you a member of ATS? You are!!! Insurance DENIED!

People's opinions and wearing spandex do have 1 thing in common. Just because you have them does not mean you should show them.

I like lighting up near people who are offended....I get grossed out watching people eat fast food yet I have to put up with it and deal with it.
So do you.
What makes people so self-entitled that they think they can tell someone what to do??
Rights??
Last I checked you don't really have the rights you think you do...especially when big money is involved like when dealing with a tobacco company or a macdonalds.
Don't hate the player,hate the game!!

reply to post by Mynaeris


Not all smokers are like that Mynah, I go outside in a secluded area to smoke, I can't help it if some moron comes and stands next to me in an open area. It's like when you use the men's room and some guy uses the stall RIGHT next to you when there are 5 open stalls. I realise that it is a bad habbit of mine, which is why i go out of my way not to smoke next to anyone. smokers who tell people to go outside are morons, not because they smoke, but because they are jackasses to begin with.

reply to post by Mynaeris


So exhaust from cars isn't harmful??? I have no problem going outside and smoking. I have never met a smoker who said that other people should go outside while we stay inside and smoke. Yes they are their kids. My grandma smoked around my uncles and mom for their entire lives. None of them have any diseases.

Dam how did we survive the times when you could smoke indoors?

reply to post by DrumsRfun


If you're grossed out by people eating fast food, why would you choose to go to a fast food restaurant?

Or do you catch people standing outside your building gorging themselves?