Smokers to be denied routine surgery to cut costs.

I have admitted it before - I am one of those evil people, whose smoke drifts menacingly into every nook and cranny, polluting the atmosphere with its particulates from mainstream and drift smoke as I suck away on a cigarette.  I am the harbinger of death; my second and third hand smoke infiltrating the very core of the young and innocent.  I deserve the remarks I receive from passers by who are predominately middle class and middle aged males who feel they have the right to abuse me.

I do not doubt that smoking is damaging to health and it is estimated that one in six to one in ten deaths are related to smoking.  It is probable that this estimate is correct and equally probable that it is a gross overestimate depending on what research you read.

Science and research are wonderful things, that is, unless they deliberately mislead.  Most of my research is based on data provided by Scotland as England doesn't appear to have its finger on the button here.

We are led to believe (as science provides the figures) that since the smoking ban in Scotland (March 2006) that coronary heart disease (CHD) and heart attacks (MI) have continued to decrease in numbers year on year on; a 17% decrease in MI admissions in the year after the ban.

Now this is odd!  If you visit isdscotland and download Table MC2 you will see that CHD has continued to fall since 1995 year on year on.  Research would suggest that this decline could be attributed to effectiveness of cardiologic treatments and changes to risk factors (including smoking) prior to the ban; but of course after the ban, the decline is only due to the ban!

During my research I came across the Iron fist, velvet glove blog and with Chris's kind permission I have reproduced a graph which illustrates that MI's actually increased after the ban.  Please visit his site; Chris as you will see, is not a chain smoking half-wit! 

I have also researched respiratory disease, particularly asthma.  I don't have any respiratory problems nor to my sons, despite being raised in a smoking household.  I know that asthma is unpleasant  and frightening for the sufferer.  It has become more common in the last thirty years and scientists do not really know the cause, but believe it could be our change in lifestyles, i.e., central heating, carpeting and lack of ventilation in homes which provide an ideal environment for the house dust mite; less fresh food and less exposure to infections and of course exposure to cigarette smoking.  I do not doubt the latter.

It has been reported that childhood asthma admissions have dropped 18% per year since the Scottish ban, Chris has debunked this again.

You might think that I am a rabid smoker demanding my place back in the world, but I am not - I am just an ordinary person, saddened that research has been manipulated to give a false impression of health gains to suit a particular agenda.

The reason for this post is this article in Pulse.  It appears that smokers will be denied routine surgery unless they quit or complete an  NHS Stop Smoking course.  NHS Surrey has take the lead here.  Read it all, including the comments.

Smokers will contribute (as tax revenue) £10.5 billion into the coffers this year.  Source: HM Revenue & Customs.  This equates to 11.55% of the NHS budget for England (£110 billion).

Who will next become society's dog to beat - alcoholics, the obese, the elderly or you?

Anna :o]