[Vicky.]

Yeah, I posted a link in another thread, then had a look around to check that it wasnt just a random site saying that, and sure enough there are a fair few sources backing this up. So despite being told that smokers/obese are a drain on the NHS, the two groups actually cost LESS than healthy people, with smokers costing the NHS the least out of the three (paying IN a lot more than anyone else on top of that also)


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...-on-state.html

Healthy people cost taxpayers more in medical bills over their lifetimes than smokers or the obese, a new study has found.

Because they tend to live longer, the savings that they make the state in youth and middle age are wiped out by the high cost of dealing with lingering diseases of old age like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

By contrast smokers - who pour millions extra into government coffers by purchasing cigarettes - cost the state the least because they tend to die younger.

According to the research, a person of normal weight costs on average £210,000 over their lifetime, a smoker just £165,000 and an obese person £187,000.