Comments on: Health Care Costs from Smoking Are a Drag http://www.scienceprogress.org/2009/06/smoking-costs/ Progressive approaches to science policy Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:25:17 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: William http://www.scienceprogress.org/2009/06/smoking-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-6112 William Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:10:43 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=3340#comment-6112 Read this article. It states smokers reduce the cost of health care with shorter life spans http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/337/15/1052 Read this article. It states smokers reduce the cost of health care with shorter life spans

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/337/15/1052

]]> By: LJ http://www.scienceprogress.org/2009/06/smoking-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-5778 LJ Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:04:49 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=3340#comment-5778 Obesity and Diabetes cost more in Healthcare than smoking or tobacco related healthcare per year. The government should read their own statistics as should the healthcare industry. Education about both problems is a must and costs less than overtaxing private industries. Is it fair to increase the taxes on tobacco products and not sugar and junk food? Outright Prohibition won't work (remember the 20's anyone). Spending a little on education will have a better effect than overtaxation. I am a diabetic and lost 50 lbs. when diagnosed, I am also a smoker for 40 yrs. my Dr.'s werte suprised that for smoking so long my lungs and heart are in better shape tha most 20 somethings. I no longer need medication for my diabetes as a result of weightloss and improved diet. Education was all it took. Obesity and Diabetes cost more in Healthcare than smoking or tobacco related healthcare per year. The government should read their own statistics as should the healthcare industry. Education about both problems is a must and costs less than overtaxing private industries. Is it fair to increase the taxes on tobacco products and not sugar and junk food? Outright Prohibition won’t work (remember the 20’s anyone). Spending a little on education will have a better effect than overtaxation. I am a diabetic and lost 50 lbs. when diagnosed, I am also a smoker for 40 yrs. my Dr.’s werte suprised that for smoking so long my lungs and heart are in better shape tha most 20 somethings. I no longer need medication for my diabetes as a result of weightloss and improved diet. Education was all it took.

]]> By: bernard http://www.scienceprogress.org/2009/06/smoking-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-5554 bernard Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:30:33 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=3340#comment-5554 Just want to respond to Kevin. Cigars still omit passive smoke to those around them. this is equally or even more dangerous than to inhale the smoke actively. Just want to respond to Kevin. Cigars still omit passive smoke to those around them. this is equally or even more dangerous than to inhale the smoke actively.

]]> By: bernard http://www.scienceprogress.org/2009/06/smoking-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-5553 bernard Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:28:58 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=3340#comment-5553 The government needs to look at itself long and hard in the eye. What justification is there to continue the present day smoking laws? Age of consent should be raised and money spent on educating the young not to take on the habit. The government needs to look at itself long and hard in the eye. What justification is there to continue the present day smoking laws? Age of consent should be raised and money spent on educating the young not to take on the habit.

]]> By: Kevin Cornwall http://www.scienceprogress.org/2009/06/smoking-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-5448 Kevin Cornwall Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:13:14 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/?p=3340#comment-5448 It should be clarified that there no evidence that cigars pose any of these threats. Please be careful in these types of articles to specifically state "cigarette smoking" vs. "smoking" and "cigarettes" vs. "tobacco". This will prevent any confusion in readers over what the source of the problem is and help mitigate collateral damage to cigar smokers - who are innocent in this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigar#Health_effects It should be clarified that there no evidence that cigars pose any of these threats. Please be careful in these types of articles to specifically state “cigarette smoking” vs. “smoking” and “cigarettes” vs. “tobacco”. This will prevent any confusion in readers over what the source of the problem is and help mitigate collateral damage to cigar smokers – who are innocent in this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigar#Health_effects

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