[Just another Joe]

And why would YOU have to pay higher premiums if you don't smoke.

Smokers ALREADY pay higher premiums, by far, than the general public.

While I don't dispute that smoking is a risk factor in many health issues, I would like to see the study that you got your figures from.

[TxDas]

The figures are from a presentation I am making to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute this April. I previously used these figures in an invited presentation to the American Heart Association this past year as well as in New Zealand and Australia and other medical societies in the USA.

There are so many billions of dollars being made by Lipitor, Crestor, etc., the data supporting changes in smoking habits being responsible for the drop in heart procedures and cancer is not popular. The data speaks for itself. Just Google changes in smoking habits in the USA and you will get several hundred thousand hits in a fraction of a second. It is hardly a secret.

If you pay $10000/year for health insurance for 30 years, you paid $300,000 in premiums, a couple of hundred thousand less than the cost of your medical care. Who do you think picks up the slack, Jesus? It is the non-smoker and taxpayer.