Nice try. Not.
Friday, May 21, 2010 I have just been interviewed for BBC Radio Cambridgeshire who wanted Forest's response to a story in today's Daily Telegraph.
According to the paper, "The National Institute for Health and Clinical Evidence (Nice) is looking at the evidence around paying people to kick unhealthy lifestyles. Smokers, the overweight and heavy drinkers could all be targeted."
It's not a new idea, just Nice attempting to justify its existence with yet another pointless gimmick.
I do find it bizarre, in the current economic climate, that the tobacco control lobby wants to spend more public money bribing people to change their behaviour when it is commonly acknowledged that without willpower most smoking cessation aids (to take one example) are relatively unsuccessful.
And what happens if, having taken the money, the recipient starts boozing, binging and smoking all over again. Will he have to pay it back?
Society is changing. People, by and large, are more health conscious. But let it happen naturally over several decades. Bribing people to "improve" their health will never work, not in a million years, because it doesn't address the many reasons why people smoke heavily, drink excessively or eat too much "unhealthy" food in the first place.
Full story HERE.
Reader Comments (14)
The government wastes £130 million plus on smoking cessation, for a return of less than 3% of people giving up. If anyone wants a full critique and links, I have all the information.
With the country £2 trillion in debt that is money well saved. I'll let ASH embarrass themselves on the most effectve way of giving up.
"27th November 2007. Today Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the public health charity has apologised to Allen Carr’s Easyway Organisation for unfounded comments made by its Director in November 2006.
In November of last year, Deborah Arnott, Director of ASH claimed that specific success rates quoted by Allen Carr Easyway were “plucked out of the air” and “basically made up.” She made these comments whilst on the BBC Radio 4 “PM” programme during a piece concerning the death of Allen Carr, founder of Allen Carr’s Easyway organisation.
Deborah Arnott’s comments referred to two independent studies conducted by eminent experts in the field of smoking cessation which had already been published in peer reviewed journals indicating a 53% success rate for Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking Clinics after 12 months.
Following a complaint by Allen Carr’s Easyway International, Deborah Arnott and ASH now acknowledge that it was wrong for Ms Arnott to have made the comments relating to the 53% success rate and have issued an unreserved apology. ASH has agreed to pay the legal costs incurred by Allen Carr’s Easyway."
http://allencarr.com/central/article/133/ash-apologise-to-allen-carrs-easyway.
I smoke, drink quite a lot and am overweight so would qualify for quite a bit of money under this scheme.
But if I packed all these things in-what would I spend the money on??
"But if I packed all these things in-what would I spend the money on??"
Just LIE, Michael.
Even politicians do on occasion...............
I understand that the NHS is to make these payments when they are about to lay of a lot of staff to cut costs.
This is only the same as what parents do to their children to make them stop eating too many sweets or cakes n' stuff. "Promise me you won't eat any more and I'll double your pocket money this week"
I just used to wipe the cream from around my mouth before I went home and bingo, "Aren't you a good boy Peter", my mum would say.
And all the extra pocket money? Why I used to buy more cakes with it of course.
They claim an extraordinarily high proprtion of quitters in a pilot study in Dundee. Tests are done for carbon monoxide in the breath. How long after smoking will these be positive? Any physiologists out there? I smell a scam.
Why can't half-wit busybodies just accept that people enjoying indulging in whatever they consider to be pleasurable!
How the hell can ASH afford to pay Allen Carr's legal costs when it raises tuppence in a good year in donations?
Oh, I remember - it uses OUR money.
The Govt' may have spent £130 million plus on a return of less than 3% giving up smoking.
I'd also like to add into that the revenue they have lost in tax receipts from businesses (hospitality, taxis, hair-dressers, high-street shops for clothes, make-up, accountants, solicitors etc). Add to that the increased cost in health care for those now socially iscolated and feeling the effect and seeking help, along with the welfare payments that are being made to those that have been forced out of work as a result.
It's a lot more than £130 million for a return of less than 3%.
One wonders just how mant NICE employees and relatives and friends of NICE employees, who know exactly how the system works, will suddenly become smokers, fatties and alcoholics. Isn't it depressing?
NICE? They're a Quango aren't they so they'll be using our money to dole out to smokers who quit (handling fee of 20% no doubt). Let's hope Osbourne cuts their funding pronto. Has he cut funding to fake charities like ASH yet? I hope he has. I notice the bully boy adverts have disappeared from the airwaves so it looks as though cuts are being implemented quite quickly.
Are you planning a celebration when ASH etc are closed down and all the otherwise unemployable zealots are cast out onto the street? Perhaps a ceremonial burning of a pile of their literature in Hyde Park would be an appropriate gesture.
I suggest that all smokers, drinkers and fatties should sign up for this crazy scheme to get some of their hard earned tax money back from these crazy bastards for ruining our social lives.
And put the money towards their fags, drink and chocolates!
Simon T, I hate to pour cold water on what I wish was true. As far as I know, the 'bully boy' adverts were funded by the Department of Health. I too noticed their absence (which began during the election campaign). I am enjoying the respite, however, will it last?
As for the funding of ASH. The amount of money they get is but a tiny drop in national spending. It will either be missed, or it will be lumped in with the DoH/NHS as a frontline sevice.
I like very much SM,s idea. IF we discover that the ASH quango loses its funding,then, yes indeed, we should have a burning of literature, along with pictures of Deb Arnot and effigies.
Brilliant idea.