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October 20, 2006
Smoking or Non Smoking???
I recently learned of a former co-worker who is battling cancer. My heart goes out to her, I can't imagine anything more scary than being told you have a brain tumor, or going through surgery to have it removed. But I do have a problem with being asked to make a donation to help with medical costs for someone who smoked like a freight train while I worked with her. Obviously the Surgeon General's warnings are not working.
Perhaps instead of using a driver's license or ID card for purchasing tobacco products, consumers should be required to use a special "tobacco product" identification card. Here's how I envision it working:
In order to purchase a tobacco product, a person would have to obtain a card from a health care provider. Nothing complicated, something like the loyalty cards Kroger and other national chains use. No photo, no periodic renewal, just give your name, date of birth, and social security number, it's all embedded in the card so if someone stole it they would not have access to your personal information.
You would present this card any time you wanted to purchase cigarettes, cigars or other forms of tobacco, the retailer would swipe it as proof you are old enough to purchase the product. No sale could be made without the card being swiped. Of course minors could circumvent the system by using someone else's card, but they're already doing that anyway. Each time your card is swiped, a portion of that sale would go into a special fund. Yes, the cost of your cigarettes would go up, but you're addicted, you would willingly pay it. When you are diagnosed with cancer this fund would act as a "cancer rider" and reimburse you for expenses associated with your medical treatment. Think of it as a forced insurance plan.
This wouldn't help out non-smokers who are diagnosed with cancer, and it wouldn't help second-hand smokers, unless you could opt to cover them when you registered for a card, but it would be more beneficial for a smoker than a Surgeon General's warning.
Posted by Anna at October 20, 2006 6:25 PM
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Comments
Excellent idea!!!! I totally agree that if you are going to compramise your own health then you should be forced to carry an extra rider on your health, and pay extra for it when purchasing the tobacco, alocohol, or even (to my shagrin) fast food for us larger people. I think it should be suggested to our political leaders. Second thought maybe be best to keep them out of the loop till needed or the whole idea would be lost. Keep those ideas coming!!!
Posted by: firecop at October 31, 2006 12:07 AM