Fat-ism

[cunning fergus]

I've often thought that. The more the government increases the tax on booze and fags the more 'valuable' the consumers of those products become, and they can rightly claim that their NHS treatment is paid for by their increased tax contributions. Plus the fact that as they will probably die young they can also say that their unclaimed state pension payments (compared to the amount a longer-lived non-drinking, non-smoker might claim) can also be considered part of their treatment fund. Fatties can make a simlar claim for the extra VAT they've paid, and of course they'll have a better case If the government brings in an 'Obesity Tax' on fodd it considers to be 'unhealthy'.

In fact the REAL villians are the wankers in the 'healthy eating' lobby who don't pay any extra tax, claim loads in pension payments - and STILL bleed the NHS white when they finally need treatment for whatever it is that WILL eventually kill them.

Absolutely right, check out the pension annuity rates for smokers and non smokers; I bet a few non smokers will happily take up the weed at retirement when they find out.

Tragic that smoking related cancer is, the fact is that cancer is a quicker death than a 10-15 year degenerative disease like Alzhiemers or Parkinsons. Non smokers with a degenerative disease are the real drain on the NHS as they've not put additional taxes in the kitty (as oppose to smokers).

It would be helpful to see what the costs of NHS care are for the 2 types of illness so we can do a realistic cost/benefit analysis.

Fact is the UK needs people dead not alive, and certainly not living on 30-40 years after retirement claiming pension money. The Govt would much rather people were healthy for work up until your retirement date, then drop dead the first day you get up to wind up your carriage clock.

If the guy who got 18 months jail yesterday for giving a 3 year old a fag had explained his actions were related to reducing the UK's Pension liability he may have got off. The sooner fags are free for primary school children the healthier the pension position will be for future generations.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

About a year ago in New York they tried something new. They told retailers to put the calorie content on all the unpackaged items like donuts, muffins, cookies etc sold in delis and coffee shops and said they’d fine any shop which didn’t comply. Didn’t make the slightest difference to the porkers – half of them can’t read and the other half don’t care.

I wondered what that was about. Its a good idea.

 

[portlock seagull]

yes but on the other hand i dont like people who have made a choice to be fat (yes its a choice) throwing themselves in the same group as people of a different race/gender/dissabilty and a do a lesser extent today gays who dont choose these things

Or you could just stop getting your knickers in such a twist over nothing and get on with your own life?

 

[Acker79]

Is there an argument that being fat is as much a disease as alcoholism? Both are extreme consumption, with people perhaps wanting to stop but not having the will power or psychological ability to refrain.

And if so, how does that fit in with whether being fat is a choice?

 

[Aldo]

crazy world we live in