[Ruth]

You have completely and utterly missed the point that Bill Hicks was making. Well, never mind.

My comment about sports persons was not aimed specifically at you – I am well aware of your opinions on that issue. I was making a point in general – you shouldn’t assume that everything I’m saying revolves around your point of view.

However, the point I was trying to make – and I am not at all sure that you took it in the way it was meant – was this: lots of people who need treatment, need it because of some lifestyle choice. Are you saying that we should only ever use taxpayers money to treat people when it can be proven that they have not, in any way, contributed to the problem that put them in poor health in the first place? I mean, we can’t all be absolutely perfect. Can you honestly say that NOTHING that you ever do could potentially result in you needing treatment?

Sunny has already provided the figures regarding how much smokers pay in taxes and how much they cost the NHS per year, so there is no point in me repeating that. Check the figures if you want – I’m sure you will find they are correct.

Now – you take the view that smokers choose to do something unhealthy and then expect the NHS to sort it out for them if they become ill. I take the view that smokers choose to do something which they pay to do, pay tax on, and which is completely legal. Therefore – just like the rest of us – they should be entitled to NHS treatment. What is your view on people who NEVER work or pay taxes, and become ill through no fault of their own. Do you think they should be entitled to taxpayers money?

By saying that smokers should not be allowed treatment on the NHS you are effectively saying that people who have paid into the NHS should not be allowed to seek treatment through it. Is that logical?