[Mpls] I knew it! Smokers LIVE LONGER

[Jeff Rosenberg]

Vicky Heller wrote:

>
> I always wondered why NO ONE would ever disclose the average age of
> "smoke-related" deaths.  Now I know.
>
>
>
> According to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, the life
> expectancy in the U. S. has hit an all time high of 76.9 years.
>
>
>
> http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2001pres/20011010.html
>
>
>
> According to surveys funded by the federal government, a 60 year old
female


> smoker will live to be 84.2 years old and a 60 year old male smoker will
> live to be 78.1 years old.
>
>
>
> http://www.forces.org/evidence/carol/carol8.htm
>
>

    I don't understand what this is about. The statistics don't show the
conclusion you've stated, and I find it hard to believe that you didn't know
that.

Life expectancy            Female            Female            Male
Male
at Age                        smokers        never-smokers    smokers
never smokers
60-64                            89.5                84.2                83
78.1

    Once you're 60, of course your life expectancy is higher - we're no
longer considering people who died young and dragged down the average.

    I guess what has me really stymied is why you've posted this. It's not
only misleading, but it's obvious to see that, and you must have assumed we
would check out your link and see that you were wrong. So why bother? Or are
you testing us to see if our "sleuthing" is on par with yours? Does this
mean (as I suspect it does) that I shouldn't believe any of the other
"facts" you've posted on this list?

--Jeff Rosenberg
Cedar - Riverside