Thread: smokers & obese people could be paid to get healthy

I am an obese smoker, and although I'd be made up for someone to put some money in my bank as encouragement to lose weight/ stop smoking, I know damn well that when that little bonus appeared in my account I'd spend it on a curry and a 20 deck (and possibly a bottle of wine).

I wouldn't be surprised if the NHS started refusing treatments for people with self-inflicted illnesses. I wouldn't agree with it, but I can see how it might give people a kick up the backside.

Oh dear! This has just make me shake my head in shame! Any one who's chose to smoke and eat what they want should not be rewarded for it! I am overweight but doin something about it and i quit smokin whilt losing weight so will i get a rebate?? It will prob just get added on to their jobseekers! Disgraceful as a country if this comes in to play! Sorry x

I smoke. When I stopped smoking I put on weight so I started smoking again. Now I'm too scared of putting on weight to stop smoking even if someone paid me a £1m. It's a stupid decision, but my decision, and I take full responsibility for it. If someone paid me to stop smoking it would be money I'd use to buy choccie bars instead! And, seriously, that's the point. Any addiction, whether to food or drugs or alcohol or whatever doesn't deal with the underlying psycological issues of why people have the behaviour. Bribing people to cease one coping-mechanism will only encourage them to replace the habit with a different one. What's needed is investment in long-term treatment of the underlying issues that cause the behaviour in the first place.

They give drug addicts plenty of money so I don't see why not.

x

Free money sounds great but like others who have posted here I don't think it's a good insentive to pay people for their vices...

Personally I think its an incentive for anyone who is over weight to up there BMI more so they can fit into the obese category and get money to slim down again. Then it would be harder to lose the weight. I also agree that the money is like giving a naughty child a reward for being good. This is defo not the answer!