At the moment apparently the statistics of the UK show that we are the worst country for bindge drinking.
The problem with this is that because people are drinking so much alchol we have more cases of cirrhosis, and the NHS full of people on waiting lists because people with cirrhosis are getting help first.
Whats more is some of these people get transplants and treated but then carrie on drinking.

MY question is do people like this derserve free treatment?, perhaps if we made people pay for health care so that if there was a diease brought on by themselves like through smoking and drinking and drugs they pay with the money saved for health care. This doesnt mean that everyone should pay only those who have the risk of bringing on a disease caused by themselves. Diseases caused by no one should be free however.

What do you all think and do any of you have ideas ??

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The past is what makes us who we are dont make it your burdern

I have to say that I like a good drink and have no intention of cutting back on my drinking for fear of getting a disease. Don't understand all this saving yourself mentality. What are you saving yourself for? A few more years when you're in your sixties? To hell with that. Burn yourself out while you have something to burn. Having to pay privately wouldn't impel me to cut back on my drinking.

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"What does not kill me makes me stronger"- Friedrich Nietzsche

Easily solved: put taxes on alchool.

I will just stay inside the door, in the hope that I'll never get ill.

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I have something to hide.

Of course people that screw their own health up like that shouldn't get priority or free treatment.. If someones well aware that they're causing their own problem and think to themselves 'whatever, the NHS can sort it out, why should I make the effort' then that's their choice, nobody else deserving of treatment should have to pay for that- I mean someone being further up the list for a new organ that they're likely to wreck drinking that put themselves there in the first place than someone thats just unlucky, I cant think of one person who would argue thats right (well, except someone in that position, obviously..) And I don't mean that for just alcoholics, (so I'm not picking on them or anything,) I mean it for anybody that has landed themselves in a serious position (obesity, diabetes, problems from smoking etc) and that has no intention of changing at all- both of my parents have had health problems, my mum was overweight and my dads diabetic, and they were perfectly capable of making the right lifestyle changes (including working through mental issues), so its not like everyone can argue that they cant possibly do it.
However, that brings me to the other problem, being that people who end up for instance alcoholics or obese tend to have emotional issues etc that have to taken care of, and THAT is where I believe people are owed something by the system. I've tried myself countless times since the age of 12 to work my way into the mental health system and recieve some sort of help, including for a time when I was something of an alcoholic, and 7 years later I'm still being told 'ignore and push down your problems and get on with it, thats how most people cope', and on a six year waiting list for a psychologist- with a mental health system like that, is it any wonder people are drinking themselves stupid or comfort eating or becoming addicts? I cant say that anybody is ever 100% responsible for their own issues, even if they deal with it in the wrong way, and I firmly think anybody who ends up in that state because of problems they cant control shouldn't be punished for it, if they are genuine and want the help and to change they should be entitled to decent healthcare, and support so that they dont just wind up back in the same position. And I think this should be just as much a priority as for anyone else, and shouldn't be something they'd have to trade in half they own to pay for. And yes its irritating to think that what people pay in taxes goes towards tons of alcoholics and smokers and addicts when you cant seem to get anything back yourself, but first of all I'd rather see them treated instead of hanging around on street corners and making people afraid to walk around or mugging people, and second I don't think people would care if they were dealt with and everybody else was getting the treatment they're entitled to instead of going to the lower end of the list- this says the NHS should be getting more funding and running better and taking more peoples needs on board, instead of resenting addicts etc for the way the system is run. And third- people SHOULD care about smokers getting free help- theres hardly any complex and desperately serious reason for some kid to pick up a stick they know could kill them, put it to their lips and light it; it doesn't alter awareness, it's not likely that anyone would do it to escape some sort of emotional problem. Its just social. That doesn't call for free councelling (and I've been hearing, money every week, to stop, possibly?) and its something people get themselves into. It doesn't mean they're bad people, it just means its their choice and they should pay for it. Not to mention a habit is avoidable- I smoked for a while and never got addicted. When it's a matter of being able to change and not wanting to, or when it's something that is completely a persons own fault, as unfortunately can be the case with many alcoholics, smokers, addicts, and weight problems, it is frankly an outrage that they should be having help thrown at them while other unlucky people have to struggle; but when it's a matter of someone crying for help and sinking in something they cant control, its an outrage that they don't get more.

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Farewell my beautiful Gracie Baby:
15th Jan 1997- 18 Jul 2009

Mak's Blog - Updated 12/3/10

In a train station in Germany I went to the lou and witnessed young people shooting Heroin out in the open, I looked at the attendant and asked "does nobody stop this?" The answer I got was "They won't live long enough to collect benefits." "Most don't live past 30 years."

Let em DIE! It's not the job of the government to insure longevity....It's your job to try and live long lives.

I think judgements of a persons behavior and cause of illness should only be taken into consideration in giving ADVICE on how to behave to preserve health but NOT as a determination on whether they get treatment or not!

There is a sin tax on cigarettes and alcohol, and I wouldnt mind seeing one on junk foods as well BUT to start denying people medical treatments based on their personal habits is such a horrible idea and it sounds like we are just trying to find ways to justify lambasting each other with our angry judgements!

BTW, I dont smoke, I dont drink alcohol, I dont even drink soda (that stuff is poison), I dont eat processed foods, I dont eat meat, I eat very little dairy, I dont do drugs, I exercize every day (I enjoy it actually) but none of those facts make me believe I am BETTER or more deserving of health care than the next person who may have different weaknesses than I do. They are human JUST LIKE ME and while I would readily encourage that they adopt my lifestyle (because I am rewarded with good health) I certainly dont think I have a right to lord it over them or deny them equal access to services WE ALL deserve and need.

We certainly dont mind allowing profit to be made off these bad habits or to fill the tax coffers up with money that is derived from taxing these bad habits or all the jobs those bad habits provide....we benefit from these peoples bad habits as well and its horrible that we derive benefit but then want to absolve ourselves from the downside of it all.

As if we dont bash and judge each other enough already!!

That statement of yours I bolded seems much more unhealthy and costly to a society than alcoholism, drug addiction or obesity. Such a callous disregard for each others humanity surely leads to some of the most awful things imaginable.

No actually you have that wrong being that the major amount spent of a persons healthcare is in the last two years of their life. Take the time to improve the quality of your life and you should live a long healthy life. If you have wanton disregard for your life don't burden the responsible ones with your issues. Some people don't care enough for themselves and you want to play Mommy to them after the destroy their health creating even more of a social burden on the healthy. It's bad enough I have to worry about some drunken (*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*) hitting me on the road and how after busting my arse running 5 miles a day, I have to pay for some loser who doesn't care about jackchit?

Do feel for my fellow man? Yes and I care for those that are in need, I don't buy drugs for dopers and I don't give money to drunks or junkies. I've done my time with these issues and walking away from them is the best thing you can do, they call that "tough love" . So if you really "feel" for these losers have a few over for dinner and you can dish out "your" money and take care of them.

The problem with this country today is that every sorry so-and-so that has a hand out gets away with it, instead of looking down on them and making them feel like they are wrong, you libs turn it around and try to make US responsible folks feel guilty... Go F yourself and take your pity party with you.

People Die deal with it, you might think Humans are superior to everything on the planet but in the scope of things we are the disease of the planet.

"Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in Men."