tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696572732311025923.post7174261564307040501..comments2023-07-18T08:02:35.036-04:00Comments on Stand FAST: More attacks on elderly smokersThe Old Ramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18366952824616311979noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696572732311025923.post-24798158136967973752011-11-21T18:25:53.602-05:002011-11-21T18:25:53.602-05:00Our state agency group insurance program is about ...Our state agency group insurance program is about to tack a %30 a month per smoker penalty to the policy. This makes sense to them because smokers often cost more in terms of health care. It is a fairly lopsided solution though since the agencies in question are staffed by a very large percentage of clinically and morbidly obese individuals. If they would surcharge them, the profits they draw for the insurance company would grow substantially.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696572732311025923.post-11466664206717969912011-01-16T02:25:50.101-05:002011-01-16T02:25:50.101-05:00I am an 82 year old smoker. I am SICK of people te...I am an 82 year old smoker. I am SICK of people telling me I HAVE to quit because it is " SO BAD for me!" I have been smoking since the ripe old age of 14. If you do the math, that means I have been a cigarette smoker for almost 70 years. If I haven't quit by now, then LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE! By the way, I do NOT show evidence (according to my GP) of ANY lung disease. (Although I HAVE had a heart attack and quadruple bypass about a year and a half ago. My cardiologist told me he knew I would probably start smoking again. My wife is also a smoker. So let me get this straight. He actually expected ME, a life long smoker to suddenly QUIT while going home to another pack a day smoker?! Of COURSE I'm going to start again!) Yes, I am an elderly smoker. If the antis can't deal with it, then they need to move over. I fought for them in WW2. I have EARNED my right to continue to be a smoker! All four of my sons are smokers as well. Fortunately, they seem to have the same good gene pool as their mother and I. Smoking is bad for some, not as bad for others. LEAVE US ALONE and let people make their OWN decisions on how to live their life. At this point, we have NO intentions of quitting. If it kills us, it is God's will. Yet we still hear idiotic comments about how much longer we could live if we did not smoke. I'm 82. How much longer would I actually HAVE anyway?! I'm sorry if you find the fact that I smell of tobacco offensive. I also find the fact that our video gam playing 30 year old fat butt probably can't outrun ME, a smoker of 68 years! WHEN is the government going to realize that obesity is a MUCH greater health threat?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2696572732311025923.post-17459681667716946972009-05-30T19:38:25.962-04:002009-05-30T19:38:25.962-04:00"It should not be used to ignore the moral obligat..."It should not be used to ignore the moral obligation to reach a reasonable compromise and allow these aging smokers a measure of dignity in their final years. But then, compassion and thoughtfulness are unknown among the disciples of the Holy Church of the Anti-Smoker."<br /><br />Very well said Rambler!<br /><br />You and your readers might be interested in another front in the war being fought over yet another "New Study" out there that help lay the groundwork for stuff like this. If you visit http://www.jacobgrier.com and read his columns and comments for May 27th and 29th you'll find the full disgusting story, including the sculptured half-million dollar grant behind the study where the authors promised their results would help promote smoking bans even before they DID the study!<br /><br />Sheeesh.<br /><br />Michael J. McFadden<br />Author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains"Michael J. McFaddenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12181949578184965482noreply@blogger.com