| The war on smoking has been going on for over 40 | | | | practices to occur. Business have won law suites |
| years now and it is not going well despite the | | | | allowing them to not hire employees that smoke and |
| preponderance of the evidence is that cigarette | | | | to fire existing employees that do smoke. The bases if |
| smoking damages one's health over the long run. Yes | | | | the law suite is that the health insurance cost would |
| millions of people have quit smoking and yet millions | | | | rise if they employee smokers. I have worked for a lot |
| more have also started during the same time period. | | | | of companies over the last 40+ years and never once |
| The American public has been so inundated with | | | | have I seen an insurance representative come into my |
| anti-smoking information that it is no longer effective | | | | company and taken a pole of how many smokers |
| and commercials are becoming more and more | | | | and nonsmokers were employed and then adjusted |
| outrageous. According to one of the latest | | | | the companies insurance rate based on the results. |
| commercials on Spike TV the tobacco industry | | | | The next time you update your resume, you may |
| supplied its products to have it featured in a Muppet | | | | want to include references willing to vouch that you |
| movie. I thought I have seen every Muppet movie ever | | | | never touch tobacco. |
| made and for the life of me I do not remember any | | | | I believe that all of the jurors on the employment issues |
| Muppet movie that featured a cigarette. I must have | | | | of smokers were non smokers. Smokers were |
| missed that one. | | | | relieved from jury duty because they may be |
| The same production company produces another | | | | prejudice. The US Centers for Disease Control and |
| commercial that shows a knucklehead trying to | | | | Prevention reported that in 2004 44.5 million U.S. adults |
| purchase light bullets for his gun and one if his | | | | were smokers comprising 20.9 percent of the adult |
| statements is something like "cigarette companies are | | | | population so 2 of them should have been smokers. |
| labeling there cigarette with light and ultralights even | | | | Sounds like stacking the deck to me. |
| though they are just as deadly as regular cigarette?". | | | | I think that I should be allowed to fire all of my |
| Lets see now, if I apply the same logic to air quality | | | | employees that are over 40 years of age. After all |
| then if I lived in Linfen, China (dirtiest air in the world) or | | | | older employees will use more health care benefits |
| if I lived in Cape Grim, Tasmania (cleanest air in the | | | | than younger employees so this policy should keep my |
| world) I would still just as likely to develop respiratory | | | | insurance rates to a minimum. While I'm at it anyone |
| problems because both have places have at least | | | | with a higher than 12 percent body fat is gone. The US |
| some air pollutions. Give me a break. | | | | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported |
| Now don't get me wrong, I do not condone smoking. If | | | | in 1989 that Obese people cost 51.5 billion in health care |
| you want to smoke great. If you do not want to | | | | costs per year. |
| smoke great. But if you try to force me to do either | | | | Here is an interesting fact. The Department of Public |
| one we will then have a big problem. So why is it that | | | | Health, Netherlands reported in 1997 that smokers |
| this commercial producer can get away with blatantly | | | | have more diseases that nonsmokers but nonsmokers |
| false statements? It is because it is socially | | | | live linger and can incur more health costs at advanced |
| unacceptable to be a smoker. Smokers are in the | | | | ages. For a given age smokers can cost 40 percent |
| minority and it is ok to beat up smokers today. | | | | more in health care cost than nonsmokers and if all |
| Do you know of anyone who would publicly admit to | | | | smokers quit today health care costs would be lower |
| being pro smoking? Even smokers will tell you that | | | | at first but after 15 years they would be higher than at |
| they know it is bad for you and they are trying to quit | | | | present. That does it I'm going to fire everyone over |
| or have tried to quit in the past but they will not admit | | | | 40. |
| to being pro smoking. If a tobacco company filed a law | | | | Why does society allow this type of injustice happen? |
| suite against that producer can you immanage the | | | | Because you as an individual do nothing. To |
| publicity that would be generated against the tobacco | | | | paraphrase a popular saying; for injustice to occur all |
| company? Its just not worth the effort. | | | | that is needed is for good people to do nothing. If it is |
| I do not have a problem with the anti smoking | | | | ok with you that smokers are being punished for there |
| campaign but I do have a problem with the way | | | | actions then do not complain when it is your turn. |
| society is allowing certain business and government | | | | |