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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009
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36

More Americans Smoking

Rates tick up slightly after holding steady for 5 years

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(Newser) – The number of smokers has ticked up a notch after five years of decline or holding steady. The percentage of Americans who light up rose from 19.8% in 2007 to 20.6% in 2008, a CDC report says. The longer-term picture is better: Since 1998, the percentage has dropped from 24.1%. But "rates have shown virtually no change" over the last five years, the report says. Men (23%) are more likely to be smokers than women (18%), notes US News & World Report.

"Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the US, and we know what to do," said CDC chief Thomas Frieden. "We want to provide support to states and localities to implement proven programs, and if we do that, we can save literally millions of lives in the decades to come."

Camel cigarettes.
Camel cigarettes.   (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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36 comments
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Silverbow7
Nov 12, 09 8:51 PM CST
Watch for a "smoking clause" in the health bill... Reply
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+3
IN RESPONSE:
AmandaT
Nov 13, 09 12:11 AM CST
There SHOULD be a 'smoking clause'. Smokers have to pay higher health insurance premiums; a government-run program should be no different. Why should I have to pay higher premiums to cover a smoker's lung cancer chemo treatments?
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+3
IN RESPONSE:
carpenocturne
Nov 13, 09 12:37 AM CST
Sure Amanda, then let's have clauses about food, drinks, time spent in the shower, how long you're outdoors, and what city you visit depending on air quality. A line needs to be drawn somewhere. When you boil it down, life is all about risks and the government has capitalized enough on our vices. If you don't want to pay it, find a non-smoker insurance company.
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+1
IN RESPONSE:
Galileo
Nov 13, 09 1:45 AM CST
@ carpen - Haha. The leading cause of preventable death and "how long you're outdoors" aren't very close together. I think you're safe to draw that line with smoking and not have to worry about mandates on how long we can be outside due to air quality. Smoking is a plague on the world. It serves one purpose: kill people early. I know everybody likes to rabble rabble about their right to give themselves lung cancer, but I think it's great we're slowly banning it from public. Then the smokers can be free to kill themselves and leave the rest of us out of it.
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IN RESPONSE:
Nixon
Nov 13, 09 5:42 AM CST
There shouldnt be one, but common sense doesnt exist anymore. What about a drug addict clause, a fast food clause or even an exercise clause. Public health should be about including everyone not making a select group pay more, WTF??? There would be plenty of smokers out there who like a relativley healthy lifestyle ie exercise, eat well, but just cant kick the habit. Your gonna charge them more for health insurance than some obese MF who lives off junk food and never exercise, this is complete madness, Its just looking to victimise a group of people who its socially acceptable to victimise. Imagine the outrage if they excluded druggies, you liberals need to take a real good look at yourselves, then proceed to beat the crap out of yourself for being a populist whore who has no consistancy on issues and has no values or morals.
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