Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 11:52 am Post subject: The 'Hidden Costs' of Smoking
Smokers pay hundreds of pounds a year in hidden costs on top of the price of their cigarettes, according to government research on Wednesday.
The NHS Smoking Helpline said higher health and life insurance premiums, smokers' toothpaste and breath freshener inflate the cost of lighting up.
An average 20-a-day smoker can expect to pay 676 pounds a year on top of the 1,825 pounds
cost of the cigarettes, creating a 2,500-pound annual bill.
"As well as costing you your health, smoking makes a huge dent in your finances", said NHS Smoking Helpline adviser Indrani Paul. "The conservative total figure we have come up with represents well over 10 percent of the average national salary."
Other costs of smoking include cough sweets, chewing gum, dry cleaning bills and mending cigarette burns in furniture, he added.
About 26 percent of men in Britain and 23 percent of women smoke, according to government statistics.
A smoking ban in all enclosed public spaces in England is due to come into force next year. The government hopes to persuade 125,000 smokers to give up each year.
I have in my time bought most of that stuff mentioned, and I beleave it means I was spending about £30 per week COR! _________________ I just want harmony. If you cannot say anything nice, keep your gob shut!
Hello Dee, I haven't seen you on here much lately and have missed you. Hope your ok!
As for cigarettes, I disliked getting close to my parents when they had a cigarette going - just didn't like the smell of them. Never got involved in drugs either, never slept around!
Now Dee, just in case your thinking this girl hasn't lived.............I did get really drunk when I was a teenager and my parents never let me live it down. I was grounded for a month! Very strict upbringing. I do still enjoy the occasional tipple when I'm at a party, but my favourite is a nice glass of white wine which I have often, when I'm having a meal. Can't be good all the time, it gets boring!
I remember years ago when the children were young one of my sons said "I wish you didn't smoke Mummy, I'd really rather you drank!" I thought it was hysterical and replied "Mummy has smoked for a very long time and I drink too, but you really wouldn't like it if I did drink." I enjoy a drink and always have wine and spirits in the house, but can take it or leave it and usually don't bother. I keep sliced lemons in the freezer, along with ice cubes in case I fancy a G&T and my wine rack is fairly full but I wish I could be as disciplined with my cigarettes as I am with alcohol!
Incidentally, I hope all the virtuous non-smokers will be happy to accept the inevitable increase in their taxes when we wicked pariahs stop pouring money into the Government's coffers. _________________ If I can't be a good example I'll have to settle for being a horrible warning.
Quote: Tricia wrote: Incidentally, I hope all the virtuous non-smokers will be happy to accept the inevitable increase in their taxes when we wicked pariahs stop pouring money into the Government's coffers.
Tricia, I think all the virtuous non-smokers know without a doubt, that whether or not you wicked pariahs stop pouring money into the Governments coffers, the Government will increase taxes.
This Government will find some other reason to justify the 'Inevitable' tax increases, but someone has to help house and feed the poor Asylum Seekers don't they? Someone has to help to foot the bill for their mobile phones and their tobacco and their beer. I won't go on, I might offend someone! :twisted:
Got to agree with all of you. I only stopped smoking because of my health, the GP had been going on at me for ages. Trouble is when I told him I had just gone cold turkey and stopped he just ignored me and added some more medication for my BP. Which could open up another can of worms about ticking boxes and money obtained by GP's and drug company's!!!! Any way I also enjoy a brandy and lemonade occasionally, feel proud because I don't smell of tobacco anymore but do not discriminate anyone who does, my husband still smokes. _________________ I just want harmony. If you cannot say anything nice, keep your gob shut!
Dee wrote: "[another can of worms about ticking boxes and money obtained by GP's and drug company's!"..........please, Dee, don't ever get me started on this subject. I know for a fact, that Doctors get lots of Perks and Back-Handers from Drug Companies to push their dangerous rubbish onto unsuspecting paitents.
Me, I'll stay with Herbal Remedies. (I am not allowed to call them 'Herbal Medicenes', because that is against the law.) _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
Trouble is, sometimes taking chemical medication is un-avoidable. If I had not gone into hospital and had an operation which has left me needing medication etc; I would not be here to tell the tale. You finish up in the position of thinking the doc know's best until you realise you are just a statistic, with me it was needs must and hey ho! I am now on the band wagon. _________________ I just want harmony. If you cannot say anything nice, keep your gob shut!
I know just what you mean Dee. For years I have suffered low back pain and had a couple of operations, non of which have been successful.
The Doctors at my local hospital, can't seem to find a cure, so the Pain Specialist reccommended a course of tablets, 25mg to be taken four times per day to relieve the back pain. These tablets are also prescribed for patients suffering from depression.
I was very reluctant to take these tablets, but the Pain Specialist accused me of being awkward when he was trying his utmost to help me and the pain I was suffering. Reluctantly I took these prescribed tablets - they didn't work.
On my next visit to see the Pain Specialist, he decided to increase the dose to 50mg to see if this would relieve the pain, it didn't.
Once again, I returned to the hospital only to have the dosage increased once again, to 75mg to ease the back pain, it didn't.
For the umpteenth time, I attended my next appointment at the hospital, only to find that the Pain Specialist had increased the dosage to 100mg, by which time I was as high as a kite, but still had excruciating back pain.
In January this year, I was so high, that when I careered my car into a parked stationary car in front and I didn't even experience any shock reactions, I knew it was time to do something about the pills that I had been prescribed. I told Louise and Sandie that I felt no emotion whatsoever, I could have caused some serious damage to myself and to others, but I was so high, I really didn't care.
I came off these prescribed anti depressants PDQ and my body went into a state of shock, I was moody and aggressive for a while and I probably made a lot of enemies along the way. The fact remains, I took the tablets because a qualified doctor told me they would help to relieve my back pain. What an imbecile, not to realise that these doctors are only interested in lining their own pockets and my well-being is of no importance to them whatsoever. I'm just another money making machine to them.
It's time the public got wise to these 'Crooks' in Healthcare clothing and retaliated!
Hi Sylvia, obviously I knew the problems you were experiencing with those pills, but it just shows how these things can have such adverse side-effects. I don't suppose the doctor even asked you if you drove or operated any machinery? By the way you sounded, you'd have been a danger with a Hoover, let alone a car. It was such a good thing that you realised what was causing your problems, before either you or someone else got badly injured or even killed.
Looking at the bigger picture, I can't help but wonder how many other drivers out there are in a similar state?
Honest, Law-Abiding Motorists like yourself who normally wouldn't dream of taking illicit drugs or drinking before driving, only to find that they are doped up to their eyeballs by so-called 'safe' prescription drugs?
It doesn't bare thinking about, does it . _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
In our area they are looking at that very problem Admin, it will hit many of us I am afraid as we all think legal medication is safe. I have an argument about all these BP medications and the fact we all have to measure the same when we go to the GP's to have it checked, if not there is countless kinds of medication out there with alot of side-effects.
Sylvia how I sympathise with your experience's there are quite a few people known to me who have had a similar thing happen to them, would not have been so bad if the drug had releaved their pain. Seems to me alot of people are making a hell of alot of cash out of us, and it is so wrong. _________________ I just want harmony. If you cannot say anything nice, keep your gob shut!
Many years ago, Dee, my G.P. prescribed me Librium capsules, 30m.g. per day! I was walking around, (and more frightingly, driving around) in a almost Zombie-like trance, not caring about anything or anyone!
I became used to feeling like this, and it helped at the time, because it stopped me from getting too depressed because it stopped my thinking and feeling processes!
After a couple of years, I was addicted to the things, and if I ran out before my next prescription was due, I'd buy them on the Black market along with my cannabis!
I realised that I could not go on like this, and I actually stopped taking the things and went into a state of cold turkey, (withdrawal). It was very rough for a few days, but I got over it.
Next time I visited my doctor he wanted to give me my usual prescription, and I told him that I no longer needed them.
He was angry with me and told me that I should have consulted him first before stopping them.
I know that I should have done this, but I'd had enough, and wanted my own thoughts back. I told him this.
It did not go down too well, we had an argument, and I walked out. Later I changed my doctor, and my lifestyle, and haven't looked back since! . _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
I know a lady who is battling with the same problem at this moment, she is also confined to a wheel-chair, think it all started with depression years ago. Actually I know quite alot about illegal drugs through an organisation I used to work with, and now I am very much involved with Mental Health and have quite a bit of knowledge about legal drugs too. When in the 60's we would grow ourselves a bit of grass for pleasure, the stuff nowaday's is lethal and causes lots of mental health problems. _________________ I just want harmony. If you cannot say anything nice, keep your gob shut!
I must admit I've been incredibly lucky as none of the tablets the doctor put me on after my heart attack a few years ago have had the slightest adverse effect. He has given up nagging me about smoking and the only thing he says is that I don't drink enough alcohol. When we went through the usual question and answer routine - how much did I smoke/drink etc. he told me I should have between one and two glasses of alcholol a day. I know red wine (my favourite tipple) is supposed to be good for the heart, but he said that any alcohol in moderation was beneficial. The problem is that although I'll occasionally pour myself a g & t I can't usually be bothered to open a bottle of wine unless I'm with friends. _________________ If I can't be a good example I'll have to settle for being a horrible warning.
I often have a brandy and lemonade in the evening, as you say a little of what you fancy does sometimes do you good, and I have also been told that alcohol can help keeping your artery's clear. Over-indulging is the main danger. I do that with fudge and custard slices sometimes!!!!!
_________________ I just want harmony. If you cannot say anything nice, keep your gob shut!
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I know for a fact, that Doctors get lots of Perks and Back-Handers from Drug Companies to push their dangerous rubbish onto unsuspecting paitents.
It was such a good thing that you realised what was causing your problems, before either you or someone else got badly injured or even killed.
.
