http://tinyurl.com/33ud6b

Smokers told to quit or surgery will be refused
By DAN NEWLING - June 2007

Smokers are to be denied operations on the Health Service unless they
give up cigarettes for at least four weeks beforehand.

Doctors will police the rule by ordering patients to take a blood test
to prove they have not been smoking.

The ruling, authorised by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, comes after
medical research conclusively showed smokers take longer to recover from
surgery.

It is thought that 500,000 smokers a year will be affected.

However patients' groups argue that the move is about the NHS saving
money rather than improving patient care.

They claim that health trusts do not want to operate on smokers because
they stay in hospital longer, blocking beds and costing more to treat.

The ruling applies to routine operations such as hip replacements and
heart surgery for conditions that are not immediately life-threatening.

If smokers refuse to give up, they are still likely to be treated but
may have to wait longer.

(snip)

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This is good and it's fine with me if we deny ALL health care to
smokers. And same with the fatties.