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How To Make Your Future Go Up In Smoke

TedTed
in Off-Topic
FYI: (The Linkster smoked since 1949 when he was in 8th grade, and cigarettes cost 10 cents a pack. I smoked about three packs a day until I contracted CHF and COPD six years ago. Fortunately, I quite and with medication my condition is under control.)

The affluent are better off today, relative to others, than they were 20 years ago. They also live longer than people who are less affluent.

So, who can we blame? Surely someone is at fault.

Since this is a presidential election year we could join the crowd and blame “the system.” But I’ve got another candidate: smoking. Its costs and its effects are singularly well suited to explain the visibly growing gap in both wealth and life expectancy between those at the top and those closer to the bottom. To be sure, smoking isn’t the only cause. But it sure looks like a smoking gun.
Regards,
Ted
https://assetbuilder.com/knowledge-center/articles/how-to-make-your-future-go-up-in-smoke

Comments

  • CrashCrash
    ".... Altria spent $9.6 million in 2015 talking into those ears. Philip Morris International spent $4.7 million. Reynolds American spent $2 million."
    I quit in 2010 after a serious bout with pneumonia. COPD, now. It never gets better, only worse. Addiction is a BEAST to overcome. And the tobacco companies make sure that it's not solely plain tobacco being rolled into their cigarettes. The additives make it all the more addictive. The sheeple out there are pretty stupid, and by definition, the sheeple are UNWILLING to think outside the box. More of the same feels comfortable. Not to mention the fleeting relief from that next cigarette.

    "The System?" Ya. The System allows and promotes predation. It's capitalism. Take a look at the income inequality. There is no word for it anymore. it's so far beyond obscene....... Anyone responsible for the '08-'09 Crash gone to jail for it, yet? It used to be possible to climb out of poverty, or even improve your lot within the Middle Class. No more. Welcome to the Oligarchy. "Welcome to the Machine." ... "Where have you been?... It's alright, we know where you've been.... What did you dream? ...It's alright, we told you what to dream..."
  • ronorono
    Howdy,

    I too was a long time smoker and agree with both of you. Chantix and wanting to breathe thru my nose at night did it for me. The former works like a dream on the physical side of addiction, but you still have to deal with the mental all by your lonesome.

    As for the 'blame' for why things are the way they are - there's plenty to share. Those responsible are lined up for blocks.

    You can have a natural capitalism that doesn't have to be predatory. You have to have constraints which are largely missing currently. Not only to prevent excesses, but to insure competition. Cripes, when in doubt, you need more competition. Geez, keep the pathway to citizenship at a very high bar, but give a Green Card to any and everyone. However, they must pay taxes and SS and if you don't have a green card you go to jail for 5-10 and then get deported. This way you eliminate 11 million illegal immigrants and everyone pays taxes and is happy.

    The political system of bribery disguised as campaign contributions and post governmental employment has permitted lots of excesses. If there was a national referendum to recall everyone in congress - yes or no - I bet it would be 75/25 or worse. Experience? Where did experience as a politician get mentioned by the founding fathers. Elected office was supposed to be your temporary duty - like serving a hitch in the military - from which after serving your term or two, you went back to your civilian employment. There was no such animal as a career politician.

    Why do we reward the use of scarce natural resources and punish the use of renewables? I bet that if all the tax breaks or any sort whatsoever were eliminated from all forms of energy and they were simply allowed to compete heads-up, wind and solar would win simply because their cost of the raw material is free and all other costs of production and delivery would cancel out.

    and so it goes, the cretins,

    peace,

    rono
  • LewisBraham
    edited February 2016
    _________ Annual Cigarettes __________ Average
    Country __Per Capita (Adults) _____________ Life expectancy
    Japan ______1,841 __________________ 84
    Spain ______1,757 ___________________ 83
    Switzerland __1,722 ___________________83
    Italy ________1,475 __________________83
    Belgium _____1,455 __________________80
    Denmark _____1,413 __________________80
    Germany _____1,045 __________________81
    United States __1,028 __________________79
    France _______854 _____________________82
    Canada _______809 _____________________82

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_cigarette_consumption_per_capita

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy
  • MikeMMikeM
    Thanks Lewis. You appear to be suggesting if Americans smoke more they can live longer... brilliant. Pretty sure everyone here who has had a smoking relative or friend with lung cancer will appreciate your efforts.
  • JunksterJunkster
    I live in a part of the south where obesity and smoking go hand and hand. Needless to say, 1001 health issues as a result.
  • Dex
    LewisBraham said:

    _________ Annual Cigarettes __________ Average
    Country __Per Capita (Adults) _____________ Life expectancy
    Japan ______1,841 __________________ 84
    Spain ______1,757 ___________________ 83
    Switzerland __1,722 ___________________83
    Italy ________1,475 __________________83
    Belgium _____1,455 __________________80
    Denmark _____1,413 __________________80
    Germany _____1,045 __________________81
    United States __1,028 __________________79
    France _______854 _____________________82
    Canada _______809 _____________________82


    I'm moving to Japan and start smoking.

    There are many factors in the smoking/death equation.
    My guess is that Americans smoke more cigs/person vs other countries.

    If you look at body weight and altitude you will find those who live at higher altitudes are thinner.





  • BenWPBenWP
    I think @Junkster has a good point. Obesity will be the leading factor in over-loading the healthcare system and might well be the main reason generations to follow us will be less prosperous than we are. Last cig: Columbus Day, 1985.
  • LewisBraham
    edited February 2016
    @BenWP The shorter life expectancy involves a number of factors, but partly it is our healthcare system, despite claims to the contrary:
    healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/how-does-the-quality-of-the-u-s-healthcare-system-compare-to-other-countries/?slide=2

    Click through entire slideshow here to understand more fully:

    healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/how-does-the-quality-of-the-u-s-healthcare-system-compare-to-other-countries/

    Also, read this:

    benefitspro.com/2015/09/11/us-still-lags-behind-other-countries-in-health-car
  • Dex
    edited February 2016
    LewisBraham said:

    @BenWP The shorter life expectancy involves a number of factors, but partly it is our healthcare system, despite claims to the contrary:

    A never ending source of amazement is that people compare unlike data and draws conclusion (usually wrong) from it.

    The USA is a country with diverse national backgrounds (genetics) spanning multiple time zones, diverse geography and various industries. Yet people compare the USA with small homogeneous countries (Sweden - really!) and think we should pay attention to such analysis.

    It just proves the old saying:
    "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, and you can fool the people who don't know how to analyse data all all of the time." - Abraham Lincoln quotes from ...

  • DavidV
    edited February 2016
    After 40 years of smoking I switched to e-cig 4 years ago. I got rid of all negative health symptoms, tobacco odor, and regained sense of smell. That is the solution for people who can't quit.
  • LewisBraham
    @Dex Cultures that are genetically homogeneous are more prone to disease, not less. It's called inbreeding and historically it has been disastrous for health: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inbreeding The fact that the U.S. has a heterogeneous gene pool should be a strength, not a weakness, health wise. What is "a never ending source of amazement" to me is how people will do whatever logical contortions necessary to rationalize their own prejudices.
  • TedTed
    @Lewis: I'm having a great deal of difficulty reading your latest comment. It appears something is getting into my eyes from the monitor screen. What do you thing it could be ? I think your to young to remember Connee !
    Regards,
    Ted
    Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: Connee Boswell:
  • LewisBraham
    @Ted I always suspected you loved me, Ted, but this proves it. Sorry, I'm spoken for already.
  • CrashCrash
    Pretty. Single Payer needs to happen. Those who can will always buy their own additional Cadillac Plans for themselves. The rest of us deserve MUCH better than the crazy non-system we have now.
  • Dex
    LewisBraham said:

    @Dex Cultures that are genetically homogeneous are more prone to disease, not less. It's called inbreeding and historically it has been disastrous for health: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inbreeding The fact that the U.S. has a heterogeneous gene pool should be a strength, not a weakness, health wise. What is "a never ending source of amazement" to me is how people will do whatever logical contortions necessary to rationalize their own prejudices.

    That concept is correct if there is 'cross breeding' that is not what I referred to in my message. Or to put it in your terms the many genetically subgroups in the USA are more prone to more diseases then a homogeneous group.

  • Dex
    Dex said:

    LewisBraham said:

    @Dex Cultures that are genetically homogeneous are more prone to disease, not less. It's called inbreeding and historically it has been disastrous for health: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inbreeding The fact that the U.S. has a heterogeneous gene pool should be a strength, not a weakness, health wise. What is "a never ending source of amazement" to me is how people will do whatever logical contortions necessary to rationalize their own prejudices.

    That concept is correct. That is not what I referred to in my message. Or to put it in your terms the many genetically subgroups in the USA are more prone to more diseases then a homogeneous group. Your point supports my point.

  • Derf
    @ Dex: did you look at chart ? After your question below, I think not.
    "My guess is that Americans smoke more cigs/person vs other countries."

    Derf
  • LewisBraham
    @Dex. Again you contort all logic. You've no doubt heard of the term "melting pot?" People intermarry in the U.S. all the time even if it is not often between races. German Americans marry French Americans and French Americans marry Irish ones, etc. And their gene pool is diversified and mixed because of it. There is "cross breeding" to use your weird term for it. And there is a lot more of it in an immigrant melting pot country like the U.S. than in the countries with longer life expectancies than our own.
  • Dex
    edited February 2016
    LewisBraham said:

    @Dex. Again you contort all logic. You've no doubt heard of the term "melting pot?" People intermarry in the U.S. all the time even if it is not often between races. German Americans marry French Americans and French Americans marry Irish ones, etc. And their gene pool is diversified and mixed because of it. There is "cross breeding" to use your weird term for it. And there is a lot more of it in an immigrant melting pot country like the U.S. than in the countries with longer life expectancies than our own.

    Me! You are now saying all people in the USA intermarry? How then do you explain that the vibrant African American community in the USA? By your logic, by now they should have all intermarried with Latinos, Irish, Italians, etc Americans.

    You are making ascertains that don't even pass reasonable test.

    Also, your concept of 'the melting pot' has been debated an refuted:

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/meltingpot/melt0222.htm
    Academics who examine the census data and probe for meaning in the numbers already speak of a new "demographic balkanization,"
    Even within gateway cities that give the outward appearance of being multicultural, there are sharp lines of ethnic segregation.
  • MJG
    Hi Guys,

    When things aren't perfect and need some work, my first course of action is to,examine my own shortfalls in that area. I typically do not point fingers at others since I recognize the most likely contributor; that's myself.

    I believe the medical system in the USA is superb. Is it perfect? Of course not. It continuously evolves as we learn more and can afford more.

    The root cause for our disappointing life expediency statistic is the lifestyles that we ourselves choose. Our overall wealth contributes to that selection process. As a nation we eat too much, work less strenuous jobs, and exercise far too infrequently. Some of us worry too much about our neighbors success. All these subtract from the survival likelihood.

    The medical profession does a marvelous job at treating these self-inflicted year robbers.

    If blame must be placed, it rests squarely on each individual's shoulders. There is no need for complex arguments or explanations. Whenever a medical problem develops outside the USA, either individually or in a group circumstance, the common reaction is to depend on our medical system for a positive resolution. They come for a reason; our professionals do the job better than anyone else.

    Best Wishes.
  • Dex
    MJG said:



    The root cause for our disappointing life expediency statistic is the lifestyles that we ourselves choose. Our overall wealth contributes to that selection process. As a nation we eat too much, work less strenuous jobs, and exercise far too infrequently. Some of us worry too much about our neighbors success. All these subtract from the survival likelihood.

    True dat.

    I would say that it is often the simple things that are overlooked also. American drive more then Europeans! Simple things like walking improves health!

    http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014/02/9-reasons-us-ended-so-much-more-car-dependent-europe/8226/

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