If You Smoke.......

[AVG-JOE]

I agree 100% with you, AVG-JOE. If ppl make life-style choices that they KNOW can lead "sooner than later" to chronic illness or death, they have decided to go for it. "Lousy choices, lousy life."

I wouldn't necessarily blanket label the discussion 'lousy'.

I good friend died at a very young age climbing a mountain. I believe that some life-style choices are worth the risk.

 

[Ava]

I agree 100% with you, AVG-JOE. If ppl make life-style choices that they KNOW can lead "sooner than later" to chronic illness or death, they have decided to go for it. "Lousy choices, lousy life."

I wouldn't necessarily blanket label the discussion 'lousy'.

I good friend died at a very young age climbing a mountain. I believe that some life-style choices are worth the risk.

Yes, you are right. I was referencing food, drugs, alcohol and other conscious consumption.

 

[Madeline]

I suppose smoking is stupid, Avg-Joe. My kidlet did so for a few years and then quit, much to my delight. (I always assumed if she had not grown up with a mom who smoked, she never would have.) This is not an activity I would encourage anyone to take up.

But I have to balance the distress of quitting against the risks of smoking, and so far -- for me -- smoking wins. Having said that, I again will state I have no argument with those who want to charge me more for the habit via health insurance. I'm not even opposed to uprating people for other risky behaviors (I wouldn't include dog ownership....seems to me, the companionship and the exercise make dog ownership beneficial) but I grow uncomfy with this past a certain point. After all, insurance is about spreading risk, not punishing risk-takers.

Depriving renters of a place to live, ruling that smokers cannot have custody of their children, forcing owners out of their condos, barring people from smoking out of doors, refusing to hire people who smoke or firing the employees who refuse to quit.......these steps I think go too far. After all, smoking is legal.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Avg-Joe, may I ask what brought this on? Does your health insurer fail to uprate smokers?

Just a whiny son-of-a-bitch complaining about his health and the costs and hassles of health care while waiving a cigarette in one hand and a taxpayer-funded medicaid card in the other.... Combine that with my first paycheck of the year displaying the new and improved health insurance rates I have to pay and the fact that I haven't seen a doctor in 4 years.

My job can be depressing.

But I am one LUCKY bastard... hell, I haven't seen a doctor in 4 years!​

 

[syrenn]

Depriving renters of a place to live, ruling that smokers cannot have custody of their children, forcing owners out of their condos, barring people from smoking out of doors, refusing to hire people who smoke or firing the employees who refuse to quit.......these steps I think go too far. After all, smoking is legal.

Life is about choices.

 

[uscitizen]

I suppose smoking is stupid, Avg-Joe. My kidlet did so for a few years and then quit, much to my delight. (I always assumed if she had not grown up with a mom who smoked, she never would have.) This is not an activity I would encourage anyone to take up.

But I have to balance the distress of quitting against the risks of smoking, and so far -- for me -- smoking wins. Having said that, I again will state I have no argument with those who want to charge me more for the habit via health insurance. I'm not even opposed to uprating people for other risky behaviors (I wouldn't include dog ownership....seems to me, the companionship and the exercise make dog ownership beneficial) but I grow uncomfy with this past a certain point. After all, insurance is about spreading risk, not punishing risk-takers.

Depriving renters of a place to live, ruling that smokers cannot have custody of their children, forcing owners out of their condos, barring people from smoking out of doors, refusing to hire people who smoke or firing the employees who refuse to quit.......these steps I think go too far. After all, smoking is legal.

Thanks I could not have said it better.
And I fully agree and encourage people not to smoke.
The non smokers will miss the taxes though when we smokers all die

 

[Kat]

I also feel the same should be said of drinkers...

 

[uscitizen]

Depriving renters of a place to live, ruling that smokers cannot have custody of their children, forcing owners out of their condos, barring people from smoking out of doors, refusing to hire people who smoke or firing the employees who refuse to quit.......these steps I think go too far. After all, smoking is legal.

Life is about choices.

Yes choices. My first marriage. Being drafted instead of going to Canada. That time I got drunk and threw up on a cop....
Some are harder to undo than others.
And some cannot ever be undone.

At least i did not vote for Bush

 

[uscitizen]

I also feel the same should be said of drinkers...

I expect the effects of second hand drinkinig kills as many as second hand smoke.

 

[Madeline]

I also feel the same should be said of drinkers...

Yes, it could, especially people who habitually drink to intoxication. But if we go this route, won't we eventually end up designing a rate for each of us that reflects exactly what risky behaviors we engage in...and if we do, how's that any different from putting us on a cash basis?

What about people who have unprotected sex?

Large families?

Don't get flu shots?

This is a list that can go on forever....and we'd all be on it, sooner or later.

 

[Kat]

I also feel the same should be said of drinkers...

Yes, it could, especially people who habitually drink to intoxication. But if we go this route, won't we eventually end up designing a rate for each of us that reflects exactly what risky behaviors we engage in...and if we do, how's that any different from putting us on a cash basis?

What about people who have unprotected sex?

Large families?

Don't get flu shots?

This is a list that can go on forever....and we'd all be on it, sooner or later.

Yup...we would. Kind of the point.

 

[uscitizen]

I also feel the same should be said of drinkers...

Yes, it could, especially people who habitually drink to intoxication. But if we go this route, won't we eventually end up designing a rate for each of us that reflects exactly what risky behaviors we engage in...and if we do, how's that any different from putting us on a cash basis?

What about people who have unprotected sex?

Large families?

Don't get flu shots?

This is a list that can go on forever....and we'd all be on it, sooner or later.

and lets also test everyone for defective genetics.
And rate their premium on that.

 

[Kat]

I also feel the same should be said of drinkers...

I expect the effects of second hand drinkinig kills as many as second hand smoke.

I would guess more..

 

[syrenn]

I also feel the same should be said of drinkers...

Yes, it could, especially people who habitually drink to intoxication. But if we go this route, won't we eventually end up designing a rate for each of us that reflects exactly what risky behaviors we engage in...and if we do, how's that any different from putting us on a cash basis?

What about people who have unprotected sex?

Large families?

Don't get flu shots?

This is a list that can go on forever....and we'd all be on it, sooner or later.

Would it help if i said i have no sympathy for anyone?

 

[Ragnar]

Has someone done the math here? Really, how much will my decades early death save you non-smokers when the National Health Care bomb finally lands in America?

Meh, screw ya. I have enough "Camel Bucks" to send away for the free Iron Lung anyway.

 

[Wry Catcher]

I suppose smoking is stupid, Avg-Joe. My kidlet did so for a few years and then quit, much to my delight. (I always assumed if she had not grown up with a mom who smoked, she never would have.) This is not an activity I would encourage anyone to take up.

But I have to balance the distress of quitting against the risks of smoking, and so far -- for me -- smoking wins. Having said that, I again will state I have no argument with those who want to charge me more for the habit via health insurance. I'm not even opposed to uprating people for other risky behaviors (I wouldn't include dog ownership....seems to me, the companionship and the exercise make dog ownership beneficial) but I grow uncomfy with this past a certain point. After all, insurance is about spreading risk, not punishing risk-takers.

Depriving renters of a place to live, ruling that smokers cannot have custody of their children, forcing owners out of their condos, barring people from smoking out of doors, refusing to hire people who smoke or firing the employees who refuse to quit.......these steps I think go too far. After all, smoking is legal.

We just purchased a homeowners policy on a home we bought for an investment, one of the questons asked by the agent in developing the quote was do you or your tenent have Pit Bulls, Doberman Pinscers, Rottweilers. I assume if we had said "yes" the quote would have been higher.

 

[uscitizen]

I also feel the same should be said of drinkers...

I expect the effects of second hand drinkinig kills as many as second hand smoke.

I would guess more..

And we all know how people get hyped up on nicotine and beat their spouses and children.

 

[dilloduck]

I agree 100% with you, AVG-JOE. If ppl make life-style choices that they KNOW can lead "sooner than later" to chronic illness or death, they have decided to go for it. "Lousy choices, lousy life."

I wouldn't necessarily blanket label the discussion 'lousy'.

I good friend died at a very young age climbing a mountain. I believe that some life-style choices are worth the risk.

Bingo------It doesn't matter how you play the game. Don't smoke -get hit by a fucking car. We're all screwed. Take your chances -spin the wheel.

 

[uscitizen]

I also feel the same should be said of drinkers...

Yes, it could, especially people who habitually drink to intoxication. But if we go this route, won't we eventually end up designing a rate for each of us that reflects exactly what risky behaviors we engage in...and if we do, how's that any different from putting us on a cash basis?

What about people who have unprotected sex?

Large families?

Don't get flu shots?

This is a list that can go on forever....and we'd all be on it, sooner or later.

Would it help if i said i have no sympathy for anyone?

Like we would believe you

 

[Cuyo]

I agree 100% with you, AVG-JOE. If ppl make life-style choices that they KNOW can lead "sooner than later" to chronic illness or death, they have decided to go for it. "Lousy choices, lousy life."

I once heard that living in NYC was equivalent to smoking a pack a day, compared to living in the woods such as myself. Not sure if that was ever true, and if it was, not sure it is anymore due to pollution control efforts.

In any event, let's say it is true. Do you then feel the same for people who choose to live in metropolitan areas?