Posted on 08/17/2005 4:05:01 PM PDT by Crackingham
The effects of secondhand smoke in the United States cost nearly $10 billion every year, according to a study released on Wednesday. The Society of Actuaries said that the direct costs of secondhand smoke exposure are $4.98 billion, including expenses related to the treatment of heart disease, chronic pulmonary disease, lung cancer, asthma and other sicknesses. The study also detailed indirect costs of $4.68 billion, stemming from lost wages, reduced services and costs associated with disabilities.
"While the health effects of secondhand smoke are reduced in comparison to active smoking, the number of people exposed is so large that the costs are substantial," Society of Actuaries fellow Donald Behan said in a statement.
The group measured the costs by examining more than 200 studies that have been published since 1964 on the effects of environmental tobacco smoke.
Damn, you just won't die will you. Have you no respect for statistics????
LOL. :-)
Also like this quote:
"The problem arises when people use statistics like a drunk uses a lamp post: for support instead of for illumination."
Don't know who said that, but it's a good one.
Kidding aside, I think there may be something to the strength of group beliefs. Everyone in the belief supporting and re-inforcing whatever the belief is adds power to it.
Of course, it should be said that the belief in something is not the same as knowing something for sure.
Just noticed that we're in the SMOKEY BACK ROOM on this topic. Hahaha. Vewwy appropriate, Mod.
The power of group beliefs can best be illustrated by those who believe in voodoo. If you are of that persuasion, you're gonna die if you find out one of your enemies started sticking pins in a doll made in your likeness, so I've read somewhere.
Makes me wonder if some extreme anti-smokers aren't sitting around their candle-lit circle sticking cigarette butts in dolls made in the likeness of a smoker that dared light up in their presence.
"You can't tell me that being exposed to occasional second hand smoke will kill you."
I'm sure it happens. What I doubt is that there are meaningful statistics around how often, yet people toss around numbers like they are more than just guesses by some unknown "expert". It is an example of how urban myths become reality in people's minds.
..."You can't tell me that being exposed to occasional second hand smoke will kill you."...
"I'm sure it happens".
You're sure? I bet you can't site one instance.
Agreed.
Here we go again....................
I can see it's already been relegated to the Smokey Backroom...and I can see some posts that tell me why. *eyes rolling*
Nope - I am not reading this trash "science" anymore.
Did you get a gander at the science in post #31?
It would be laugh out loud funny if so many didn't buy into it.
I think it may have been put in the SBR from the very beginning.....because I never saw it until very late after getting a ping.
I knew you would understand my pinging you :)
I think that the Admin Mod or JeanS said that JR yanked it back here.
Irrelevant, anyway. :) Get that cast off yet?
The first 4 years I was here, I posted >9500 articles/op-eds regarding administration/congressional edicts/polices/legislation, the military, the foreign community. Even then these articles, that were within the FR mission statement realm, were totally lost in the sea of vanity threads. Currently it's much worst now. Why is that allowed?
The cast came on on Tuesday - but I still am stuck with crutches and am not yet allowed to drive :(
"Take that sh*t somewhere else."
That's a fair demand on property that you own. If you don't own the property, then your obligated to find an area more suitable to your desires. Let the property owner decide this issue.
I'm sorry...what a bummer! Hopefully, you'll get the all clear, soon.
Did you check out the link at #31?
The guy that runs the site at #31 is a total crackpot..............I've been dealing with him since before I ever heard of FR :(
He's a total one note joke - EVERYTHING wrong on the face of thsi planet is because of smoking.........and no he is not using absurdity to show how idiotic the antis are - he acturally, really and truly believes the crapola he spouts. And sadly so do a lot of others.........
Thanks for the ping. I would never have seen this important study since it was relegated to doom in the SBR.
Let's see, $10B is the supposed cost. 300 million US residents. 25% smoke. On average a smoker smokes a pack a day. Taxes drive the cost from about $1-1.20 to about $5 a pack. Now, lets do the math. 300M*.25*365*($5-1.2)=$104B.
Looks like society is making $94B off smokers......They should promote more direct smoking to pay for the second hand smoke exposure costs.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.