3 ms·
You're comparing a statistic of one population (smokers) with a different stat of another (general population). There's no conclusions to draw from that. E.g.
by maaku 10y ago
You're comparing a statistic of one population (smokers) with a different stat of another (general population). There's no conclusions to draw from that.
E.g. healthcare costs go up with age because that's when people start dying. Smokers die at an earlier age, so they experience those costs earlier. Is this correct? Who knows, but it's one of the many ways in which the argument you wrote could be invalid.
- DanielDent 10y agoYou are quite right and I could have been more clear. In this case they specifically looked at the total healthcare costs and still concluded it was cheaper. Unfortunately I don't have a link and feel a strong [citation needed] flag is warranted. Furthermore, healthcare costs don't reflect the complete picture. Firstly, lost productivity is an issue. Secondly, we may not want a society where ritual suicide is encouraged at a pre-determined age with the goal of reducing healthcare costs.
- crgt 10y agoHere's a link that mentions a NE Journal of Medicine report backing up your claim: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1998-01-04/news/1998004017_1_smokers-pay-pack-of-cigarettes-cents http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1998-01-04/news/1998004017_...