"Kent" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Sheldon" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> On May 6, 4:46?pm, "Gil Faver" > wrote:
>>> "<RJ>" > wrote in message
>>>
>>> ...
>>>
>>> >I read a newspaper bit that I'd like to share;
>>>
>>> > The State of Minnesota claims that medical claims
>>> > from smokers cost the taxpayers $303.7 million bucks.
>>> > I'm puzzled.
>>> > I've never heard of a smoker going to a doctor or hospital,
>>> > and asking for the "state medical coverage for smokers".
>>>
>>> > There are some pretty clever people in this newsgroup.
>>> > How would any state arrive at these numbers ?
>>>
>>> > A statistician once said; "What do you want the numbers to mean"
>>>
>>> if you consider the fact those smokers tend to die off sooner, between
>>> medical costs and social security savings, I'm happy to have them keep
>>> smoking.
>>
>> That's pretty stupid... the cost of SS is hardly a speck compared to
>> the costs involved with treating smoker's diseases. What needs to
>> happen is for society to spend a lot of money to educate young people
>> not to start smoking, and to dismantle the ready rolled industry...
>> anyone wants a smoke gotta roll their own like it used to be, that'll
>> cut back signicantly.
>>
>> And truth be known the US Federal Government is who is reponsible for
>> promoting smoking, they subsidized all the tobacco industry, the
>> growing, but especially the development and building of high speed
>> cigarette production machinery, and gave away for free billions of
>> cigarettes to military sevicemen/women. The US Government is by far
>> the biggest drug lord this planet has ever seen, still, or ever will.
>> And there's nary a drug addict who didn't take their first hits with
>> tobacco.
>>
>> Sheldon
>>
>>
> Right on, Sheldon, word for word. Added to the cost is the poor basturd in
> his bed dying of lung ca, throat ca, larynx ca, COPD and the rest.
>
> Kent
>

To say that smokers dying young saves on SS is a farce. If someone is
classified 'disabled' by their smoking related diseases, they qualify for
Supplimental Social Security Income (SSI), so they DO collect SS. Also, as
noted by a number of other posters, smoking seems to be magnified in the
segment of society that receives governmental assistance. So smoking
related diseases flourish in this segment as well. High blood pressure,
obesity related diabetes, poor dental health, all have a home in this
segment of society. If you note in inner city neighborhoods, the residents
are targeted for special deals on cigarettes, larger packages of alcohol,
and fast foods. The government allows 'unhealthy' alternatives to be
marketed big time in these neighborhoods for substantial campaign
contributions then complains when the same segment on medical assistance
needs medical treatment.
-ginny
who grew up in NC, on the SC border, home of Chesterfield and Marlboro
Counties, and Salem, NC home of RJ Reynold Tobacco company.......who owns
the state of NC...