It's not just the money. It's the resources. All the beds, the doctors, the nurses, the scientists and researchers that are soaked up in this industry that makes it hard on the rest of the population. People who have looked after themselves all their lives but have fallen sick and need treatment have to wait as those who did not look after themselves -either by smoking, or drinking, or eating tonnes of fat- are getting their treatment. Not fair. But, I have no idea what can be done about the whole thing. I doubt very much that banning the wretched stuff will work at all. Drugs are banned yet drugs have clogged our population! I also find that if the smoker (or drinker) is responsible -as much as the habit would allow him/her to be- then, at least, the danger will be limited just to the smoker, though not the taking up of valuable resources. I accept that the habit is addictive and that it's very difficult for some people to drop it but I don't understand that. I've stopped smoking some thirty or so years ago and did it within seconds of the decision. Never took another dag since then. I saw absolutely no difficulty. So did the rest of my family but not my brother-in-law and one of his kids. Can't understand it. Can't understand how one can admit they're in the clutches of such a silly habit. But, I accept that it is difficult. My brother-in-law has tried a great many times. I would have thought that the prohibitive price of the bloody things would get people to stop it but, no.! Sometimes I watch the people at the checkouts buy them and I just get horrified by the huge sums they pay for them! Always amazes me that. I don't know what the figures are but I would think we must have made some progress in that area, surely!
