Well, like you Dream On, I don't know for sure if that would be the case.

It costs the Government at least $600 per day for hospital admissions and at least $60 per GP admission, and smokers are often affected from their habit very much sooner than 30 years, given they are far more likely to suffer worse colds and flu's and asthma, just to name a few problems, and be hospitalized

Also, the smoker adversely affects all the other humans and animals in their home, and none of them pay the cigarette taxes do they?

I have personally cared for many cases of emphysema and lung cancer in the spouses of smokers. And the children of smokers who smoke within their vicinity are far more likely to be hospitalized with asthma than any other kids.
The first question a doctor asks parents is 'Do you smoke in the home?' SIDS is far more prevalent amongst babies of smokers too.

Where do you stand with the financial consequences for those poor sods?

Hi Suse,

I was sort of 60: 40 on this issue really, but I think you've persuaded me. Thank god for the freedom to express opinions, they sometimes can have a powerful influence. Thank you.

Joe

Dear Nathan,

I'm also sorry to read about your serious illnesses
and hope that you will get things under control.
I wish you well.

Many of our contemporary ailments although
they often can't always be cured, they can be
prevented in many cases.
Unfortunately, modern medical practice focuses
primarily on the treatment rather than the
prevention of disease.
On surgery for failed hearts rather than preventing
the habits that led to those hearts to fail in the first
place.

We've grown accustomed to the idea that we become sick,
and doctors make us well. In all too many cases, however,
the truth is that we make ourselves sick, and doctors can
do little or nothing to make us better.

A prime example of this is tobacco use. The dangers of
smoking are well known, yet millions still smoke. Each
year people spend a great deal of money on cigarettes,
and many die of smoking-related causes.
A fortune is spent on the drug, of which a great deal
goes in taxes. It was for that reason that governments
were slow to take action against the tobacco industry.

Similarly, many people still decline to use seat belts,
even though the practice drastically reduces the chance
of death or serious injury, as well as the fines now
being imposed.

Many eat themselves into cholesterol-induced heart
disease, and still encourage their children to eat junk food.
Many become addicted to alcohol, barbiturates,
cocaine, heroin, and other drugs whose dangers are common
knowledge.

Having exposed themselves to the dangers of injury and
disease, they then turn to the medical institution for
help when the damage is done.

The message that the medical association is now trying
to get across is that it would be much cheaper, and far
more effective, for individuals and society to make those
changes that would prevent disease from occurring in the
first place.

Anyone who works with indigenous, certain migrants groups and Housos would be very conscious of the vastly higher incidence of smoking and casualness about usage of tobacco in close proximity to children.

Taking indigenous,

"Tobacco smoking is the most preventable cause of ill health and early death among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, increasing the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, numerous cancers and many other health conditions. The 2003 Australian Burden of Disease Study estimated that tobacco smoking was the leading cause of burden of disease for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, responsible for around 12% of the total burden of disease and injury for this population"

and

"ln 2012–13, two in five (41%) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over reported smoking on a daily basis."

and

It was found that there was little statistical difference between the smaking rales between males and females. - Think of the effect of that on incidence of health problems in children and smoking uptake by them.
[ABS, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: First Results, Australia, 2012-13]

It is reasonable to assume that similar problems would be apparent with alcohol abuse.

The way ahead is not to sledge smokers but to concentrate on and continue the work that is already being done with the most seriously affected groups such as Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders.

What to do about importing more smokers is a consideration for immigration policy (where the prevailing political correctness will see it shelved).

See here, onthebeach, Thursday, 27 August 2015 1:45:56 PM
http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=6968&page=1

Dear Nathan,

The following website helps explain the
current status of smokers in this country -
and the given figures by the ABS are interesting.
As are the reasons behind them that are explained.
Also interesting are the various things that
governments have done over the years to change
the attitudes of smokers:

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/tobacco-kff

Hi OTB,

But you're forgetting that tobacco and alcohol are white inventions - any diseases they may cause are only for whites. Blackfellas don't get whitefella diseases.

Seriously. I've heard of people arguing this way. Coke can't give Blackfellas diabetes, only to whitefellas, because it's a whitefella product. So when people get crook, it's a surprise, a mystery: 'how did that happen' ?

OF COURSE, we all get sick in similar ways, and for similar reasons. We're not different biological species.

But across the hundreds of Indigenous health organisations in the country, what's the bet that the (usually unqualified) Indigenous health workers are spreading this message ? As well as the notion that disease comes from being spelled, or sung, and that somebody else has caused it, deliberately and malevolently, so the job is how to find out who they are.

Western medicine works only for whitefellas, it means nothing to real people, to the healers, the ngunkeris, the elders, who really KNOW why people get sick, and it's got nothing to do with that whitefella mumbo-jumbo science stuff. Whitefellas know nothing, they have no secrets, they are oblivious to real knowledges.

Problem: meanwhile, with all the knowledges of the elders and healers and thousands of health workers, Indigenous people are the sickest in the country. Please explain.

Joe