I posted on here a couple years ago (when we were talking about the new law preventing people
from smoking in public places). Actually, a unhealthy person does jack up the price even
if the do die of a heart attack. Problem is that fat people and people with poor diets
don't just die from a heart attack. They go through a process such as loosing work because
their immune system breaks down and they have more sick days. They cost more because they
need medications to regulate insulin or blood pressure. They then take up more doctors
time because they need more tests and are seen by a doctor more frequently than someone
who is eating properly and isn't fat. Of course anyone can get cancer no matter how they
behave due to genetics and outside influences (pollution, aluminum pots and such) that
they didn't even know they had or society hasn't gotten rid of such as aluminum pots.All of the above can be said for smoking too.
I've only read the first page and the last (up to the post I'm quoting), so it may have
already been said.Unless you have a real genetic problem or disease, and you are fat you should be afforded
the same ridicule and revulsion that a smoker does. Both are burdens on our society and
we need to look at them as the bad behavior that they are and they should be paying for
their fatness. No reason that if you can't fit within an airplane seat you shouldn't pay
for two seats.
Except, the weight issue (just like anorexia) could be the result of an underlying mental condition, which would fall under the category of disease, but it's not so easy to pin down. That's why you can't really discriminate.
Smoking however is a choice, and as hard as it may be to quit, it was still a choice (even under pressure) to start.