"Mate of mine still smokes ( about the same as I used to ) and his dad died of heart failure which was largely attributed to smoking . There's an example of the power of the mind."
Thing is, we all die and non-smokers too will die from heart failure as well as the many other causes of life cessation. My Dad was a non-smoker, light drinker and had a normal BMI, but he died in his 60's from cardiac events. Lifestyle is no guarantee of longevity.
You could say that the country of residence is the greatest determiner of one's lifespan...so easy to play with stats.
Smokers are not expensive in terms of health care when compared to non-smokers, it is just that their deaths tend to occur earlier and faster. It is the longest livers who cost the most and we would have to hope that the government never wakes up to this one, although second thoughts, maybe they have as evidenced by the ascendancy of euthanasia protagonists in Western countries.
Belgium is currently debating whether to allow children to decide that they want euthanasia in the event of terminal illness. They are not deemed mature enough to vote or drive a car, but it looks like they will now be given the right to decide on their own deaths before their life has run its natural course.
