To be honest, I’ve got mixed feelings on this. In an ideal world the overweight, smokers, addicts, etc. would be left to their devices to bear the responsibilities of their bad health habits. But, since Medicaid and medicare aren’t going anywhere - and we’re footing the bill - they should be held accountable. They also drive up the insurance rates.
Lots of people (FReepers, even) on this thread who are apparently sufficiently ‘without sin’ to be casting stones....
(John 8:7, for those of you who don’t understand the reference...)
-or-
(for those who prefer a more secular citation..)
‘Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master.’ - George Washington
Dang it, the smokers have paid for their health insurance many times over! Remember the massive tobacco settlement with the states over health claims? The states took that money and used it to balence budgets, build roads and bridges, etc., but interestingly enough, did not put any of it back to pay for the smoker’s “health problems”. Then the feds put on more taxes on tobacco to pay for poor children’s insurance.
Smokers may not live as long as non-smokers, so they will not burden the Medicare system. Smokers also may not be around to help bankrupt the Social Security system. They deserve your thanks.
Remember how we were told that if people stopped smoking, insurance rates would stablize or start going down? They won’t, and obesity is just the latest boogeyman.
We need to phase out Medicaid and Medicare and let the free market do it’s magic.