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Health care reform---PAY to PLAY
By Frederick Corrigan
Put your “BUTT OUT” and get a chance to live a better life. Today, Nov. 19, 2009 is the 35th anniversary of the Great American Smokeout. The Cancer Society got nearly 1 million smokers to quit for the day, on the third Thursday in November, 1974. This day is annually dedicated to helping people KICK the habit. There are many sources of information concerning cigarettes in the United States. The following statistics reveal some staggering facts that should awaken caring adults and children. 2007---17.4 Billion packs of cigarettes were sold in the United States and this represents a lot of wasted time and money for the people who can’t or won’t quit smoking. One of the most disgusting sights is to see the young mother, driving down the street, with children in the car and a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. Dad, you’re no better! Don’t people listen to the reports on the effect of second hand smoke? Maybe we need to have the police stop the car and ticket the driver for child endangerment. Have you ever seen a person stop in front of a convenience store, children in the vehicle, leave the car running, run into the store and buy a pack of cigarettes? This person should lose his/her drivers license. Health experts put the cost of smoking at $3,391.00 per smoker per year. This includes the cost of hospital and health care for cancer patients that are uninsured and are treated under our welfare system. Do the math and that means that National Health Costs for smokers is $157.7 Billion dollars per year. “LUNG” cancer is the #1 cancer killer! Once you are diagnosed, you have an 85% chance that you won’t live over 5 more years. Do we think that a cigarette hanging from our mouths is a sign of intelligence? Just because the movie stars are shown this way, doesn’t make it right--- they are paid to make a show, not show what is right. Smoking results in over 440,000 deaths per year in the U.S. This fact alone is a public health tragedy. We, in America, are too well informed about the hazards of smoking, to turn our backs on our loved ones and allow this tragedy to continue. The latest figures show that cigarette smoking has increased in the United States in the last year and Americans aren’t learning. Society is bearing the burden for the individual behavioral choices of the smokers and that shouldn’t be. I propose that we add $1.00 per pack, FEDERAL TAX, onto each pack of cigarettes sold. This money could only be spent, by the federal government, for Health Care Reform. This isn’t going to pay for everything, but $17.4 billion dollars a year would certainly help. When you break the speed limit and get caught, you pay the fine. When you drink and drive, get caught and go to court, you pay the fine. If you are a gambler at the casino and you lose, you pay. WE all have the right to speed through life with a drink in one hand and a cigarette dangling from our lips, so long as we don’t burden the rest of our families with our poor choices.
It’s only right that those who play---PAY! Call, phone, write or e-mail your congressperson---better yet send them a copy of this article. They just might not be aware of the statistics.
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Contributor's Note
I started smoking at age 12, stealing them from my parent's packs. I quit on the third thursday in November, 1996 at age 61. You can too.
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Great article Frederick!
And thank you for your support, God Bless you and your wife! Davinciandres
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
I appreciate your visit and your comments.
I really believe that our congresspeople aren't fully aware of these facts.
Best wishes.
Frederick
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