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Commissioners penalizing smokers

In the article “Westmoreland County hopes smoking surcharge will lead to healthier choices,” it was disclosed that nonunion smoking county employees will be assessed a $600 annual surcharge on their health insurance premiums next year.

But do smokers really cost more than nonsmokers when they live 14 years less on average? Gone are the days of flights and meeting rooms filled with smoke that affected nonsmokers. Today, smokers are segregated outdoors and they are rightfully harming no one but themselves. Don't people have the right to do what they want when it doesn't affect others? I never eat fast food, but I don't stop you or penalize you for unhealthy eating habits.

Maybe our commissioners need a course in maintaining nonunion status, since only the nonunion employees are being penalized at this point (although the surcharge is “expected” to be part of ongoing contract negotiations). We know liberal Ted Kopas and Gina Cerilli would never penalize their voter base of union employees. Maybe Chuck Anderson actually cares more about the health of the lower-wage nonunion employee who can't afford this penalty?

In a way, this is like conservatives complaining about abortion when conservatives don't utilize abortion.

John Ventre

Hempfield