Do penalties for smokers and the obese make sense?

AP ^ | January 26, 2013 | MIKE STOBBE

[walford]

Faced with the high cost of caring for smokers and overeaters, experts say society must grapple with a blunt question: Instead of trying to penalize them and change their ways, why not just let these health sinners die prematurely from their unhealthy habits?

Annual health care costs are roughly $96 billion for smokers and $147 billion for the obese, the government says. These costs accompany sometimes heroic attempts to prolong lives, including surgery, chemotherapy and other measures.

[walford]

When health care is collectivized, it is increasingly easy to make the case for government involvement in ANY personal choice that Our Betters would determine increases health care costs for the collective.

That is why New York Mayor Bloomberg considers himself entitled to tell people what size sodas they can drink or turn away food donated for disaster victims and the homeless.

But are ALL health-undermining behaviors going to be subject to government sanction? What about other choices such as promiscuity, substance abuse, dare-devil stupidity or risky late-term abortions?

I seriously doubt it.

When the government is the arbiter of what unhealthy behaviors are harmful to the collective, the decisions will necessarily be politicized. Politically favored groups that are over-represented with respect to unhealthy practices are going to be exempt, I promise you.

[cripplecreek]

Do penalties for drinkers make sense?

Its easy to feed the alligator in the beginning but he’s greedy.

[JRandomFreeper]

Anti-Freedom facism is an unhealthy lifestyle that can lead to early death. For historic reference, I give you Benito and Adolph.

/johnny

[Steve Newton]

I wonder how many tax dollars are raised from smokers?

[Yogafist]

As long as you include all the unhealthy life style choices, like homosexuality, and abortion.

[Steve Newton]

Snicker

How true

[dhs12345]

Hey, what about other risky lifestyles where one might get STDs?

It is a known fact that your chances of getting STDs (AIDS, etc.) increase dramatically with the number of partners and certain types of.... well you know what... increase your chances of infection.

We have all heard about how serious the AIDS epidemic is and it is easily prevented.

/sarc

Lemme guess. AIDS won’t be on the “hit” list.

[cicero2k]

I thought that smokers, aside from the excessive per pack tax; also REDUCED the need for government assistance due to shortened life expectancy.

Something like $0.40 per pack.

Now, obesity is another story. That is a much slower death with special needs of medicine and equipment. Not so much a shortened life, but an expensive life. Healthy people pay.

[butterdezillion]

If we’re gonna refuse medical care to smokers and the obese, then we also need to refuse medical care to women who abort as well as anybody who gets an STD. Also anybody who doesn’t wear a seatbelt, drives over the speed limit, or doesn’t attend church regularly. And people who choose to live on a fault line or near the ocean - let all of the coastal people just die when earthquakes, hurricanes, etc hit, because it was their own darn choice to live there...

Let’s just deny medical care to anybody who’s ever done anything stupid, how about?

[cripplecreek]

I wonder how many tax dollars are raised from smokers?

A lot. In 2009 the tax on loose cigarette tobacco went up by 2300%. I have to wonder what other products could face that kind of tax hike with barely a whimper?

I don't think you can touch a pack of cigarettes these days for less than $6 or $7 (some states far more) and its mostly tax.

[JRandomFreeper]

I wonder how many tax dollars are raised from smokers?

Not too many from me. I don't buy the nasty commercial product.

But I can look up and slightly to the left at the sun-shelf where 3 flats of tobacco seeds are recently started and expected to be planted after the last frost. ;)

I will not submit. Tobacco is a plant that can grow almost anywhere.

/johnny

[OKRA2012]

For years private insurance companies have charged smokers higher premiums for health insurance.

I would expect the government to follow that same business model.

[Steve Newton]

True

I smoke junk. And still pay through the nose

[mylife]

Smokers are penalized plenty already.

[Steve Newton]

Aww johnny me lad

Tis nice to have a fellow FReeper with such a stash.

Seems a visit is reguired in the near future to learn a little

And maybe smoke a little

[mylife]

Annual health care costs are roughly $96 billion for smokers and $147 billion for the obese, the government says.

Sounds like Fatty needs to pay more Twinkie Tax.

[RegulatorCountry]

Less than $5 per pack in NC for major brands such as Marlboro or Camel, less than $4 for discount brands.

[DBrow]

How about people with genetic diseases? How far are we from Aktion T 4?

[JRandomFreeper]

This is a hoe. It is a stick with a blade on one end. It is your friend.

You will keep the blade sharp, and the handle smooth. You will not cut anything but weeds with it.

Sure, come visit. I can always use the labor.

I don't always act like an NCO. Sometimes I sleep. ;)

/johnny

[Steve Newton]

LOL

Humm

Now if yea only had a still

Uh

Never mind

Something tells me yea might