[sammyg2]

I am so tired of people perpetuating urban myths when they have absolutely no accurate knowledge of the subject.
I've done a great deal of research on the subject to support a term paper I wrote in college.

MYTH: smoking tobacco increases medical costs and insurance costs.
BS. The US surgeon general's office has published many studies that prove the opposite. Smokers actually rack up lower lifetime health costs than non-smokers because they do not live as long.

MYTH: smoking puts a financial burden on society and the government. Again, BS. Smokers do not draw as much social security as non-smokers and they pay a great deal more taxes on their tobacco. Smoking is financially beneficial to society.

MYTH: second hand smoke is worse than first hand smoke.
BS. Again, the US surgeon general's office has paid for and published studies trying to prove that second hand smoke is worse. What they proved and quitely presented as to not draw much attention is that the opposite was true. Secondhand smoke was shown to be much less dangerous than first hand smoke. In fact, the clinical study that I cited in my term paper in 1999 indicted that they were unable to identify or provide direct evidence that second hand smoke was directly responsible for ANY deaths.
I'm not saying that second hand smoke is safe. I am saying that the stupidass health nazis made up most of their so-called evidence to scare people into supporting their cause and lots of sheep are buying into their propaganda.

Now, I could say that I don't care for something that others consume. Does that give me the right to ban it? Of course not.
We are all free to make personal choice. If we want to smoke, we can and will. If we don't, then we don't but DO NOT STICK YOUR NOSE IN MY BUSINESS and try to tell me how to live my life and I will extend you the same courtesy.
And please refrain from spreading manure. Check your facts.

PS, I'm sure some of you will try to post little quips that condradict my statements. They are all over the net, on every health nazi website there is. Lets try to stick to factual, unbiased, professional and accurate information, shall we? No extemist drivel, just real information.
I suggest the surgeon general's office as one, the library of congess might be another.
JAMA is very a good source as long as the information is clinical and not editorial in nature.