Who Pays Health Costs of Alcohol and Tobacco?

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Abstract
To the Editor: I read with interest the letter by Wilkinson et al. on "Health Costs of Alcohol and Tobacco: Who pays?" in the June 1 issue of the Journal. The authors have forgotten one very important factor. In the United States the government pays Social Security and other benefits to those over retirement age. The average life-span of a smoker is several years shorter than the average life-span of a nonsmoker. Therefore, the government will save more on reduced Social Security benefits to smokers than it spends on their increased health care.On this basis an amount equal . . .

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