Vaccines for smokers

Doctors in Australia and America may soon be offering vaccines exclusively for smokers.

Unfortunately this is not a vaccine which will help people to stop smoking, or even avoid taking up smoking. Instead it is hoped the vaccination will help smokers from getting certain diseases that often affect smokers.

The vaccine is pneumococcal vaccine, which would protect smokers from illnesses such as meningitis and pneumonia.

Smokers suffer a stastically higher chance of getting these diseases than non-smokers as the protective mechanism in their respiratory system is damaged by smoking.

Some non-smokers have been against spending money on vaccines and other treatment for smokers. This is foolish. Not only is it the right of people to choose to live their life as they want, so long as they don’t hurt other people, it is also their right to enjoy the protection of the government. And from a practical point of view, prevention is always cheaper than the cure.

Never-the-less, giving up smoking is still the best option

You can read the full story on the Canberra Times website.

Related posts:

1. Smokers Paradox

news