Big Tobacco to smokers: Bend over

I have never smoked. Not one time. Don't understand it, never did. I watched a friend who smoked two packs a day quit cold turkey two years ago. It was one of the most frightening and disgusting things I have ever witnessed.

The only time I have ever seen anything close to the withdrawl symptoms was from heroin documentaries.

Good luck.

 

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09091/959697-85.stm

Apparently, quite a few smokers didn't even realize that the tobacco companies bumped up their prices before the the tax increase took effect.

Quote from the story:
"If they wanted us to quit smoking, they wouldn't [allow them to be sold]. We'd all get by. But we're addicted and they know it and know they can get taxes off of us. And still we're made to feel like lepers," said Ms. Parks, a smoker for half her life who purchased a pound of roll-your-own tobacco for her son and three packs of cigarettes for herself.
"We're paying everybody's taxes. We shouldn't feel like lepers."

Yup lady. You're getting screwed. Want to do something about it? Quit. (Again, I know it's not that easy, but it's a hell of a way to channel all that anger).

 

I'll bet that somewhere there's a state legislator whose bitching, "Raising these prices mean people smoke less, and that means less money coming into our coffers. We can't have that."

 

Then you tell us ... what would get you to quit something that will kill you one day?

 

Except the people who have to be near you when you smoke.

 

Which is precisely the point of my earlier post. Using a tax as a tool to reduce an unhealthy habit is one thing. Budgeting a government on a regressive tax is totally another.

 

First of all, I'm with Liesl 100%. and F--- you, Hondo and Mizzou, pompous, pontificating assholes who contribute nothing to the conversation.

Here's the real issue I have... my doctor, who I see less than once a year becuase I'm healthy despite my smoking, always tells me about the newest drug or the new quit smoking program he can recommend. But my health insurance, which is very good on everything else, does not cover either.
Why not?
If I were an alcoholic or drug addict I could do an in-treatment program that costs thousands of dollars and not pay a cent. But if I enroll in one of these $500 quit smoking programs, or even get a $90 Chantix (I think that's the stuff) prescription, it all comes out of my pocket. Why?

Meanwhile, at $7 a pack they are getting close to pricing me out.

 

That's a good question, spnited. It would seem to be beneficial in the long run for health insurance companies to sponsor that $90 treatment because it would be so much less expensive than the lung cancer or whatever other health complications that come with it eventually.

That's just from their view, not taking into account that helping someone quit would actually, you know, help him/her.

 

A lot of health insurance providers are really squirrelly when it comes to cancer coverage, meaning they either won't pay for certain treatments, will lowball you, or will make you pay a premium for it.

 

I think you have to separate out illegal drugs. That is something completely different because alcohol and tobacco products are legal.

The problem is rehab for alcoholics is not meant for everybody who drinks, just people who abuse it and cannot control their drinking. Rehab for smokers would be meant for all smokers. The goal would be to eliminate smoking entirely, and there are far too many well-paid lobbyists who want to make sure that never happens.

That's really what it all comes down to. Money. Lobbyists pushing to protect the tobacco industry and politicians who believe that we can't do without it. Maybe they're right.Maybe the financial hit would be devastating, especially now.

Should we be focusing more on getting smokers whatever help they need to break the habit, just as we do for alcoholics? Yes. Absolutely. If the health of the American people was being put first, that's exactly what would be happening. Unfortunately, not everybody has that goal in mind.

And spnited, please don't take this the wrong way, but I hope they do price you out of it. You may be a cranky old pain in the butt, but anything that helps you quit and most likely live a little longer is a good thing.

 

If you think I'm cranky now, OOP, wait til I start going through nicotine withdrawal!

 

He's just a professionally holier-than-thou putz.

Pay him no mind.