I always say NO, it's no ones business, most times an answer in the affirmative will give negative consequences. My friends and family are obviously aware that I smoke but in this day and age with all the antis, it is safer to say NO.
"Do you smoke?"
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I guess hard to say "No"'to this question as I have been named
"TheSmokinDragon" for a reason ;-)
"TheSmokinDragon" for a reason ;-)
Hey guys,
New to the forum and I know this thread is old, but I have been thinking about this question a lot. I smoke, on average, two pipe bowls a month. I am worried that if I end up getting some sort of problem associated with tobacco could my health insurance company flat deny all my medical bills? Should I just get over it and pay the super-high smoker's premium? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
New to the forum and I know this thread is old, but I have been thinking about this question a lot. I smoke, on average, two pipe bowls a month. I am worried that if I end up getting some sort of problem associated with tobacco could my health insurance company flat deny all my medical bills? Should I just get over it and pay the super-high smoker's premium? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
That is all well and good, but since I don't pay the smokers premium I am worried I may leave my family with huge medical bills if I get sick or something.
Depends who's asking, if its a Dr, I tell them I used to but quit cigarettes 20 years ago. Because for the record, I dont smoke, because pretty soon this will affect insurance coverage.
I won't hire a cigarette smoker because they think they're entitled to extra breaks. Everyone poops and checks their personal email and social media during the day, but smokers take extra time off during the work day. Now if a pipe smoker smoked during a shift and if he was doing it right, ei, slow and contemplatively, I really wouldn't want him around.
Tough question with the gov't starting to use docs, schools, etc. as (in my opinion) spies on our personal business. It's a strain on my honesty but I view that as similar to "do you have any guns in your home?". Personally, I still believe that my business is just that - MY business. There is no need for my doc (and through him, some healthcare database and its flunky analysts) to know whether I own guns or not. Nor is it his/their business to know if I smoke a couple of pipes a week (which is all I do). My doc is a personal friend so it's nothing against him, but against the concerns of Electronic Health Records and the possible future (mis)use of such information I will choose my privacy every time.
I don't smoke cigarettes. I smoke maybe a cigar a month and (as stated) a pipe or 2 a week. Is there risk in that? Yeah. Is there risk walking downtown past a stanky, sooty bus stop, or getting in a car and driving in highway traffic among the other Cracker-Jack-prize-drivers-license "drivers"? Yeah. They don't ask about those things, or about the crap I eat when I'm in the mood for a greasy cheeseburger or whatnot. So I don't plan on revealing it to whoever asks just because tobacco is the "social evil Du Jour".
But my wife says I'm guilty of "redneck thinking" because I vote against all tax increases on principle, so, whatever...
I don't smoke cigarettes. I smoke maybe a cigar a month and (as stated) a pipe or 2 a week. Is there risk in that? Yeah. Is there risk walking downtown past a stanky, sooty bus stop, or getting in a car and driving in highway traffic among the other Cracker-Jack-prize-drivers-license "drivers"? Yeah. They don't ask about those things, or about the crap I eat when I'm in the mood for a greasy cheeseburger or whatnot. So I don't plan on revealing it to whoever asks just because tobacco is the "social evil Du Jour".
But my wife says I'm guilty of "redneck thinking" because I vote against all tax increases on principle, so, whatever...
When docs ask I always say a cigar now and then, which up until recently was the truth. I'll probably just keep saying that. Socially if someone asks I tell them cigars once in a while (like one every month or two) and now I'll say pipes too. I guess docs at least have reason to ask because let's be honest there are potential health risks. But once they know you smoke they tend to blame everything on it.
"Damn doc, I have this hellacious pain in my left foot."
"Should probably cut down on the tobacco use."
"Damn doc, I have this hellacious pain in my left foot."
"Should probably cut down on the tobacco use."
mphstteach - At a bowl or two a month, you're not likely to be triggering most of the ailments closely associated with tobacco, unless you're particularly susceptible. I smoke a bowl or two a week, and my doctor didn't even blink at that. My dental hygienist suggested softy bits since I have a lot of bridgework up front, but since I brush after smoking, my teeth are in as good of shape as they've ever been.
I've seen a couple of anecdotes on line about how much smoking is considered "a smoker" for insurance purposes, but I don't remember specific numbers - just that they were well above any amount of smoking I'd be likely to have time for. Do some poking around on Google - I don't remember precisely what I was looking for, but try "smoking risk insurance" and see what you find.
As for the original question, I generally answer "I sometimes smoke a pipe," and let people ask followup questions if they're so inclined.
I've seen a couple of anecdotes on line about how much smoking is considered "a smoker" for insurance purposes, but I don't remember specific numbers - just that they were well above any amount of smoking I'd be likely to have time for. Do some poking around on Google - I don't remember precisely what I was looking for, but try "smoking risk insurance" and see what you find.
As for the original question, I generally answer "I sometimes smoke a pipe," and let people ask followup questions if they're so inclined.
Smoking one a day, as I do when weather permits, constitutes habitual smoking as far as I'm concerned. I always say that I do smoke pipes and cigars, which is true.
Be careful if you say no on insurance forms, because if you are caught it can be grounds for denying any claims. Some will do urine tests and if they catch you with nicotine in your system and you did not state tobacco use, you are up the creek. Just something to think about.
Why should the answer be any different if you smoked 1 pipe a day versus 10 pipes a day. It should be the same. Yes. for the honest man, it's also the same answer and not dependent on who ask. Whether you doctor, the insurance man, or the neighbor next door, the answer should be the same.
The answer is different because they jack up insurance premiums weather you smoke one pipe a month or a pack of cigs a day
Cortez wrote:
I strongly disagree. It is absolutely necessary for your doctor to know if you smoke or not. Of course when they do so, or if the question is on their questionnaire it’s usually in reference to cigarettes. Why on earth would one wish to hide something that is obviously detrimental to your health in so many aspects from ones doctor! And this is coming from someone who is a 50+ year cigarette smoker. Hell, if I went to a new doctor and he didn’t ask if I smoked I’d promptly walk out of his office!
I recently had some heart issues and spent some time in the hospital. In the ER when asked "do I smoke" I answered " I smoke a pipe" and the nurse and ER doc put down I was a smoker. Later once in the ICU a heart doctor came in and his first advise was I need to quit smoking. I explained to him I do not smoke cigs or cigars but I do smoke a pipe. He suddenly changed and was like "oh just a pipe and I don't imagine you inhale a pipe?" My answer was no I don't and his attidude changed completely and he never mentioned it again. So insurance may put you in the smoking catagory but my Heart doctor didn't at all and even after several checkups has never mentioned it again. My dentist has never mentioned a thing about it. Don't really answer your question but just my experience so now I answer with " Yes I smoke a pipe".
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