New Study Released

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jagster

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I haven't smoked in about a month. That 1/4 a pack was just an arbitrary number. I was just wondering what the limit would be before the test flagged you positive and you would not be eligible to be hired. Seems a bit discriminatory. I mean legally they couldn't deny a person a job solely on the fact that they are obese. Obese people raise health insurance costs as well. So how can they legally deny someone a job that uses gum, a patch, vapes, or smokes tobacco.

I get it that nicotine users have a choice...but obese people also have a choice to go on a diet and exercise. I guess it's one of those slippery slopes as to where you dry the line as to what is/is not considered discrimination.

Glad to hear your not smoking at all. This is a large medical practice and I know they are conscious of the bad side effects of smoking. They want a healthy staff that projects their "health conscience" even when not at work.
 

Uma

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The fat tax is undergoing brainstorming sessions as we speak. They will be demoralizing (even more), demeaning, demonizing, blaming, brainwashing the public to humiliate obesity just like they did smokers, (not smoking, but smokers which is still ongoing) until the public is so rallied up they agree to the sin tax of fat.
Smoking has subsided, thanks to the electronic cigarette. Weight gain by usual methods of quitting smoking is practically history, due to the electronic cigarette, so first they have to demean, demoralize, and ban the ecig use.
Step by step. It's all about the money.
 

CommaHolly

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well, I'm not surprised FL counties are not hiring anyone with nic in their systems,,,,,,

I mean, it's not illegal here (in most fl counties) to NOT hire someone because they are gay,,,,,,,,,,,why should nic users be any different???

that was sarcasm,,,,,,

the fact is, FL is a right to work state,,,,,,,,,,they can fire you for any reason they want,,,,,,,provided it's not a protected reason (age, sex, race, etc).

let's talk facism.
 

jagster

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well, I'm not surprised FL counties are not hiring anyone with nic in their systems,,,,,,

I mean, it's not illegal here (in most fl counties) to NOT hire someone because they are gay,,,,,,,,,,,why should nic users be any different???

that was sarcasm,,,,,,

the fact is, FL is a right to work state,,,,,,,,,,they can fire you for any reason they want,,,,,,,provided it's not a protected reason (age, sex, race, etc).

let's talk facism.
Talk and action yes, but Fascism, I don't agree by definition.
 

Mohamed

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Sexual orientation is a protected class. I guess you could argue all day of if that is choice or not?

Your right about the Fat Tax...I guess I'm not aware of any where in the states where they tax a food item yet...but I think it was in New York that they limit the size of soda you can purchase and outlawed all trans-fat. But I see your point if they feel that cigs/nicotine should be taxed to the point where it's too expensive to smoke they will probably do the same with obesity items...soda, potato chips, french fries, etc.

It's sad our society has come to the point to pretty much accept these taxes. I bet if you add in state, local, federal, medicare, social security, alcohol, tobacco, pet, property, gas taxes not to mention car taxes, fishing/hunting license, etc I bet majority of Americans pay well over 50% of each dollar made to the government...they just don't realize it. It would be interesting to find out what the average American truly pays after you add up all the hidden taxes no one really thinks about.

Hell we even have taxes on our phones. Ever read through the details of the bill and see that $2.70 or whatever it is that government gets for some reason?

Sorry this has gotten way off topic from original post.
 

suspectK

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I don't know if I could possibly get excited about that. A: That was already what I knew, without any scientific study briefly summarized news article. B: It just makes it that much closer to defining the regulation of nicotine.

Oh yeah, get excited..

Edit: It's not that they are truly trying to phase out one of our highest grossing products, behind guns that we sell to future enemies and so forth, but tobacco is one of the easiest and strongest addictions normal people encounter. Once you're on that bike ride, you're going to keep going trying not to fall on your face. Look at NYC. A pack of Newports is $20 or more in the city. People still buy them. Even though you can go to the mainland and pay less, people still buy them. They can mask the reasoning of why they'll tax something or raise the price on something addictive like cigarettes or junk food for health reasons, but the main reason is because saying it is for safety hides the true reasoning for it. People want it. They'll buy it, so see how much they'll possibly pay for it.
 
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bosun

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With the Affordable Health Care Act, insurers are allowed to charge tobacco users more. I would imagine they probably will. Yeah right..."probably" my savings account (I'm sitting on it BTW). Reason used is that tobacco is a health hazard. Obesity is a health hazard also, it just hasn't been really demonized by the media. It's hard to get "second hand fat" to affect a non-fat person. But if the media goes into that "obesity is driving up your health costs" schtick like they did second hand smoke it is going to happen. The insurers have your doctor weigh you, run the numbers through a chart, come up with your Body Mass Index number, and your insurer 'adjusts' your rate as per that number. If you are ten percent over your optimum BMI, then they raise your insurance by ten percent. Easy money!
 

Uma

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Read this http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/ppi/health-care/i37-obesity.pdf

A quote,that might interest:

"Changing Health Behaviors: Reducing Obesity by Applying Lessons Learned from the Campaign to Control Tobacco Use.

Can the same strategies that succeeded in reducing the incidence of smoking in the United States also work to help reduce obesity? Approaches that hold promise include excise taxes, junk food–free zones, counteradvertising, advertising bans, menu labeling requirements, and warning labels."
 

Uma

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Another one, based off a Calif university study (gee, I wonder who that could be lol).
Sugar Tax May Lower Health Care Costs, Obesity Epidemic - AARP

Quote"
"
But a new University of California study offers these cold projections: A 1-cent-per-ounce tax on sweetened beverages — adding 20 cents to the cost of a $1.25 bottle of soda — would prevent nearly 2.4 million cases of diabetes, 95,000 cases of heart disease, 8,000 strokes and 26,000 premature deaths in the next decade. Researchers projected $13 billion in new annual tax revenues and, importantly, a $17 billion savings in health care costs over 10 years".
 

Uma

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It's probably a certain threshold that they are testing against. Analytical tests usually can't determine if any of x substance is present. When it tests negative it means that substance x was not detected above y. When it tests positive they have an actual number representing the amount of x detected.

What if we drink a v8, fry up some green tomatos, add red peppers to our tacos, sprinkle cayenne pepper on our tater tots, etc, all in the same day ...

Quote from Edible nicotine in peppers could lower Parkinson's risk - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk
"Peppers appeared to have the biggest effect. People who ate the vegetables twice a week or more were found to be 30% less likely to develop Parkinson's. However, experts warned a number of factors may have influenced the findings". Apparently it doesn't take a whole lot of foods to make a difference sometimes. (Depends on whose side you are on?)
 

jagster

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With the Affordable Health Care Act, insurers are allowed to charge tobacco users more. I would imagine they probably will. Yeah right..."probably" my savings account (I'm sitting on it BTW). Reason used is that tobacco is a health hazard. Obesity is a health hazard also, it just hasn't been really demonized by the media. It's hard to get "second hand fat" to affect a non-fat person. But if the media goes into that "obesity is driving up your health costs" schtick like they did second hand smoke it is going to happen. The insurers have your doctor weigh you, run the numbers through a chart, come up with your Body Mass Index number, and your insurer 'adjusts' your rate as per that number. If you are ten percent over your optimum BMI, then they raise your insurance by ten percent. Easy money!
Actually if your state expands Medicare to include people 138% over poverty level (under the new AHA) you are not penalized for tobacco use. If you choose the exchange option it depends on what your state law is. Go to http://www.healthcare.gov for more info.
 

bosun

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Actually if your state expands Medicare to include people 138% over poverty level (under the new AHA) you are not penalized for tobacco use. If you choose the exchange option it depends on what your state law is. Go to http://www.healthcare.gov for more info.


Being too lazy to read your link, does that mean that if I can adjust my income to be less than 138% of the poverty rate I'll be safe from an increase by the insurers? I'm glad the government is thinking of us poor people! Or they figure it is hard to get blood out of a turnip? Or that the government will make up the difference in costs to the insurers via our tax dollars? No real need to respond, mostly rhetorical questions, and I'm in an especially sarcastic (not really meaning to come across that way)/untrusting mood..
 
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