Why not just let smokers die?

Discussion in 'Markets & Economies' started by rbaggio, Jan 27, 2013.

  1. willrocks

    willrocks Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    The government on one hand likes the appearance of being 'tough' on cigarettes by all the labels ... etc. But in reality they like the end result (i.e. Less pension payout, and more tax income from cigarette taxes).

    By removing the addictive 'poison and whatnot', less people would become addicted, meaning lower cigarette tax revenue, and an increase in lifespan, and thus more pension payouts.
     
  2. willrocks

    willrocks Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

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    You forgot the baby bonus of +$3000 (was $5K):
     
  3. Silber

    Silber Member

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    Admittedly, I did not read all posts due to time constraints. But when I read the headline, it came immediately to my mind what later was also alluded to in the article:

    - What about fat people?
    - What about people who quit smoking, and in result, gain an (unhealthy) amount of weight?
    - What about people who engage in dangerous sports?
    - What about people who do no sports at all?
    - Should health care cover dental care? Or could you say: "Why not just let those who don't brush and floss properly lose their teeth?"

    Of course, there are hardly any habits that are as clearly related to serious health issues as smoking. So these questions might sound polemic. The key point is that you could push this concept arbitrarily far. (Some of these considerations might in the end lead to a question that was actually raised by a politician here in Germany: When an 80-year old breaks his hip bone, is it worthwhile to replace it an artificial one in a complex suregery, or shouldn't he just lie in the bed for the remaining few years...?)

    It's tempting to make a clear statement: Either the health care cares about everything or about nothing - otherwise, there will always be the never-ending discussion about the questions mentioned above or in the article. But I could imagine that there might be a concept of co-payment or other means that ... well, helps to transfer the cost from the health care to the pension scheme... if this is desirable.

    *makes a cigarette break*
     
  4. honey stacker

    honey stacker New Member Silver Stacker

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    Went to cetrelink yesterday, which was interesting. Tried to get my hands on the Asset Test Form, to write the exect wording up here. They wouldn't give it to me until I completed a telephone interview.

    Anyways the lady ended up printing me out the exact information on their website. If anyone can get one of these and write it up it would be good, wish I'd kept my one.
     

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