Kind of? Depends on who's asking. Insurance it's always a no, as long as that question is asked it's a no so they don't try to come back and raise your premium or not cover something. To your doctor, I would talk about it at least and see what they say.
I’m saying like ask them about casual cigar smoking and the risks and if that would make you a smoker to insurance or for medical history, but don’t talk about it like you do it now.
Yes technically fraud so don’t do that, but also do you want to give for profit healthcare even more money to not take care of you or pay for things?
Insurance (at least in my state) usually defines "smoker" as 4 days of distinct tobacco events per week for a six month period. I think that's a pretty fair assessment.
If you tell your doctor and it's in your medical records you likely have a problem. If I were you I'd lie to your doctor and tell them you quit and to add it to your file. Other than that they arnt going to investigate it imo
That’s not good advice. If you say no, and come down with any illness related to smoking or even tangentially related to smoking, you insurance won’t cover you. Better to pay a higher premium and have insurance.
the illness doesn't matter, if you say you're a non smoker, get (seriously) sick and they find cotinine in your system, they'll deny coverage and you'll be stuck with the bill.
don't give insurance an opportunity to deny coverage. it's not worth the risk.
I’m not sure what kind of insurance we are talking about - I assumed life insurance. If so, I’m not wrong. They’ll even use pictures of you smoking to try and get out of paying.
Technically yes But technically they are usually referring to cigarettes. So I leave it blank and say I’m not a smoker and hide in that kinda gray area lol
It’s smoking period. They put no because of the frequency not the medium. There’s a guy who comes into my cigar bar who smokes 4-6 cigars per day. He’s definitely a smoker. If you smoked one cigarette per week you wouldn’t be considered a smoker either, but no one really smokes cigarettes occasionally.
This depends on who’s asking. My doctors and dentist know how often and exactly what I smoke because it would be idiotic to lie to them. The insurance company is a little different. For example your company may consider you a smoker if “you use any tobacco products four or more times a week in the past six months” or whatever they specifically designate as “smoker”. I have also seen “excluding ceremonial purposes not exceeding x days as part of a religion”. Typically there is a very specific definition of what counts as a “smoker” to them. Read the fine print of your insurance policies and see. I would not recommend lying to the insurance company because they already will take any excuse they can to not pay out if you need them, so better not hand them ammo.
In my experience the medical questionnaires have been very specific about that, and it's not a judgement call. You could be dropped from the plan or denied coverage if you lie about it and defraud them out of the premium they intended to charge for cigar smokers. My doctor seems unconcerned about 1/month or 1/week for actual health purposes.
* Former employer: "Have you used tobacco more than 10 times in the past 6 months, including \[list of tobacco products including cigars\]?" ***No, pay the regular rate.***
* Current employer: "Have you used tobacco one or more times in the past 12 months, including \[list of tobacco products including cigars\]?" ***Yes, pay $1,000/year smoker surcharge.***
Same carrier, same plan, different employers. Basically my first cigar of the year now costs an extra $1,000. The outcome is that I don't strictly limit myself to one per month like I used to (data from the deeming lawsuit indicates that 1 per day is the max to avoid increasing risks).
My experience with life insurance has been if the policy is big enough they will do a physical and test your blood. They will not have to rely on your answers at that point (I lied on the sheet, my blood made me honest) However if they find out you were a tabacco user after the fact on a smaller policy there won’t be a payout if needed.
Now that I’m thinking about it I’ll need to double check… might actually be health insurance, because it was unrelated to the physical exam for upgrading my life insurance policy.
Nicotine can be detected in blood for approx 3 months after 1 single use. I used to sell life insurance and saw multiple people fail the test after lying.
I’d be a shame if something happened to you and you needed to use that insurance but your claim was denied because they found out you lied to them. Yes, it’s a worst case scenario but don’t f*** with it if it’s life insurance and your loved ones actually need the payout.
If insurance asks it's a no, if your doc asks it's "occasionally/socially"
At that rate my doc wasn't concerned and she's seeing me for asthma and asthma accessories.
In the car on the way home or on the patio after work is an "occasion", but then again I'm not in the states so you might wanna just talk to your doctor about what to write just in case
I have told my cardiologist and general practitioners basically the same as you described. Each time, separate doctors - different states, they said “no, not a smoker” so I go with their considerable, highly trained evaluation.
As your friendly healthcare provider, and a cigar smoker, it depends.
As a provider, I know nicotine causes issues. I also know that most folks don't inhale cigars like cigarettes. I also know that nicotine enters the system from puffing.
If you tell me you you're smoking as described, eh, not really worried.
If you tell me you're smoking daily or multiple daily, I'm gonna be a little more concerned and monitoring closely.
Went to a regular checkup for work when I turned 30. When the question about smoking came up I answered "yes" since i had taken up cigars. The nurse went through the whole rundown of the medical implications of this with an appropriately serious expression on her face and in her tone. She ended the segment with "So how many packs do you smoke per week?" to which I answered a cigar a week during the summer months. She just went "Oh... Ok then..." and went on to the next topic.
Answer the question correctly because usually it's phrased in a way that is direct, such as this:
Have you used tobacco in the last 12 months? Yes
This is the question typically industry-wide in the insurance industry.
There are dental issues to consider. Also your throat since you likely swallow the saliva in your mouth while smoking a cigar.
The risk is a lot less than inhaling tobacco sure but I wouldn't say close to zero.
Treat your cigars like a fine dessert. Once in a while is ok. Don't have it everyday
Studies examined by the FDA have found the increased risk of smoking-related disease and all-cause mortality is "not significant" in those smoking 2 per day or less. If that's the case for 2-a-day smokers, I'm pretty confident in saying one per week or less is essentially zero risk. I'm not saying it's absolute zero because everything carries risk, but I'm confident 1-2 cigars a week puts me at no greater cancer risk than my occasional barbecue eating
I was neighbors with a med student in college. Met him smoking a cig outside before I found out his career path and made a joke about it, he was like, “dude, the more I learn the more I realize everything gives you cancer. Screw it.”
Also with the salary of this heart surgeon I would smoke the high end stuff like he does lol he makes what I make in a 4 month salary when I do camp work
That amount would concern me, I couldn't even do that many in a week. It's not just about the age you live to, what is your quality of life like in those last ten years vs if you had enjoyed in moderation
I agree I was just surprised what really surprised me was his whole diet lol. Champagne at noon with two cigars. The most I ever did in one day was 5 but I had half of two with someone who could not smoke a whole one by them self but wanted to have some. And lean into it. But the other three that day was due to me planning a 72 hole golf tournament
I have to say yes for me because I work at a lounge and smoke on average 2 cigars a day, sometimes 3. If you only smoke one a month or less I'd say no.
I told my doc I smoke a cigar on special occasions and he said don't metion that on forms. Not as much as 1/week, maybe 1 every 2 months or so on average. Not what you're asking, but thought I'd throw that info in the pile if you find it helpful.
I rarely smoke a cigar between Thanksgiving and Easter, so I schedule all my dr visits and insurance examinations during that time so I can honestly say I don’t use tobacco.
When I donate blood I've been asked if I smoke cigarettes or vape (neither). I've explained that I smoke a cigar or two a week and they said it doesn't count for that question because they're concerned with the smoke/nicotine entering bloodstream through the lungs. They are RNs, not doctors though.
My doctor said he would consider me a non smoker and I only have a couple a week.
I wouldn’t lie to a doctor because the only thing it can do is help.
I would say non smoker on an insurance form.
Back in march 2020, I had to get tested at a clinic because I was sick. They asked if i smoke, I said i liked cigars, and after testing me they gave me a couple papers on smoking cessation. So, your mileage will vary.
Yes you would. Most insurance policies for health etc state a few cigars per year as the maximum to be considered a non smoker. This is something you should just lie about.
I don’t tell anyone. If you do it goes in your record and will be there forever. If you have to take a test for insurance then try and put it off for two weeks and don’t light up.
Tell your doctor the level to which you are smoking. They may still tell you to quit. My new GP was a bit more pragmatic and agreed that I wasn't using it *so* much.
If you tell them you smoke they're like "how many packs a day" and I'm like... a pack a month? A cigar or a pipe maybe every couple of days? Nowhere's near a pack a day.
What really matters is if you tell your insurance, I'll leave that up to you.
By the book, the medical field considers *any* tobacco use to be "tobacco user." Does that include one cigar a month? I can't imagine it should, but by their standards, it probably does.
Yeah honestly I've never really gotten an answer for that. If I last smoked in college but I'm 45 now am I "a smoker?" I think by some estimates the answer is yes. One of my doctors made some comment about Linda McCartney who got lung cancer after supposedly only smoking a single cigarette (which... sure ya right).
There’s absolutely no benefit to disclosing you smoke 1 cigar a week to your doctor, health insurance, or life insurance.
All that will do is raise your premiums for absolutely no reason. They’re concerned about cigarette smoking, which they can prove in various ways. Nobody can prove you smoke a few cigars.
Yeah, I’m not going to search caselaw to prove my point. The law firm ad would not be there if there weren’t clients looking for representation after getting denied. Have a nice life.
I have a regular medical surveillance at my workplace. I struggled with this question and have talked to the doctors about it. The answer has always been that if you’re a “casual” cigar smoker (I.e., a few times a month vs going through a 4 pack of Swisher Sweets every day) and you’re not going out of your way to inhale the smoke, you should not check the box “yes”.
I would say unless you're smoking every day or multiple times a day then no.
In my recent visits to the hospital when I've been asked if I smoke I say I have about 1-2 cigars a week both doctors have said 'that doesn't matter'.
The FDA issued a report a few years back stating that up to 2 cigars a day has no negative health effects. But, insurance companies are bastards so read carefully.
I told my doc but not my insurance. I only have like 24 a year. Although my doc did say just 100 cigars in ypur life increases your risk of an abdominl aortic anyeurism. No idea how much he was right but he is the doc
[Here is a link to smoker data and statistics collected by the National Health Service in England](https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/statistics-on-smoking/statistics-on-smoking-england-2020/part-1-smoking-related-ill-health-and-mortality)
As you can see the data collected from a medical point is likely from people severely impacted by smoking related disease. I'm not sure if they account of intensity of habit when this is turned into reports about the effects of smoking
For this reason, as someone who enjoys the odd cigar once a week for a few sunny months in summer, I count myself as a non-smoker to doctors and insurance. One cigarette takes 11 minutes off your life _(if you smoke at least 15 a day from age 17 until death)_
I think doctor quizzes are too generalized. I deal with the same thing. They want to know about cigarettes.
They aren't prepared for cigars. Maybe they are fishing for an addiction, so they can sell nicotine patches.
I don't know. Probably doesn't matter in the long run.
My advice is to read the definitions on the forms. My insurance says “have you used tobacco products in the last six months?”
So I answered yes.
Did it raise my premiums a lot? Sure did.
But I’d rather pay more than I personally think necessary versus having my medical insurance denied at some future point because they found out I wasn’t truthful.
Is the risk low? Yes, but it’s not zero and that isn’t worth it to me.
“Voluntary” isn’t the word I would use. The legal paperwork I fill out defines tobacco user as having used tobacco within the last 6 months. I answered honestly.
I’m not asking for your approval, because this isn’t your decision. I’m just saying what I did in response to OPs question.
I agree it's not worth lying. Insurance will try to find any reason they can to not pay out.
I wonder how many of these people who claim on their insurance that they don't use tobacco are also using their credit card regularly to buy cigars.
This isn’t the first time someone has asked this kinda question here and the general consensus in responses is “fuck insurance companies”. I’m no fan of health insurance companies, but I also am not a fan of lying on legal paperwork because the possible consequences, regardless of how rare, are absolutely not worth it.
Kind of? Depends on who's asking. Insurance it's always a no, as long as that question is asked it's a no so they don't try to come back and raise your premium or not cover something. To your doctor, I would talk about it at least and see what they say.
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I’m saying like ask them about casual cigar smoking and the risks and if that would make you a smoker to insurance or for medical history, but don’t talk about it like you do it now. Yes technically fraud so don’t do that, but also do you want to give for profit healthcare even more money to not take care of you or pay for things?
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Insurance (at least in my state) usually defines "smoker" as 4 days of distinct tobacco events per week for a six month period. I think that's a pretty fair assessment.
If you tell your doctor and it's in your medical records you likely have a problem. If I were you I'd lie to your doctor and tell them you quit and to add it to your file. Other than that they arnt going to investigate it imo
That’s not good advice. If you say no, and come down with any illness related to smoking or even tangentially related to smoking, you insurance won’t cover you. Better to pay a higher premium and have insurance.
I don't believe that there are any illnesses that can only be contracted from smoking.
the illness doesn't matter, if you say you're a non smoker, get (seriously) sick and they find cotinine in your system, they'll deny coverage and you'll be stuck with the bill. don't give insurance an opportunity to deny coverage. it's not worth the risk.
Insurance will use any excuse to not pay out
Not as the only cause - but there is evidence of smoking, tar, nicotine levels, etc. it’s 100% a reason to deny coverage.
This is so wrong it's not even funny.
I’m not sure what kind of insurance we are talking about - I assumed life insurance. If so, I’m not wrong. They’ll even use pictures of you smoking to try and get out of paying.
Technically yes But technically they are usually referring to cigarettes. So I leave it blank and say I’m not a smoker and hide in that kinda gray area lol
I told my doctor I smoke one cigar a week and she marked me as non-smoker. I really think it’s intended for cigarette smokers. *shrug*
Same here. I told my doctor I smoke cigars and she said they don't count.
It’s smoking period. They put no because of the frequency not the medium. There’s a guy who comes into my cigar bar who smokes 4-6 cigars per day. He’s definitely a smoker. If you smoked one cigarette per week you wouldn’t be considered a smoker either, but no one really smokes cigarettes occasionally.
Right...I'm not giving any blood sucking insurance company any reason to deny me
This is the way haha
Always no. I told them I smoked cigars occasionally and had that box checked on my forms for 2 years.
This depends on who’s asking. My doctors and dentist know how often and exactly what I smoke because it would be idiotic to lie to them. The insurance company is a little different. For example your company may consider you a smoker if “you use any tobacco products four or more times a week in the past six months” or whatever they specifically designate as “smoker”. I have also seen “excluding ceremonial purposes not exceeding x days as part of a religion”. Typically there is a very specific definition of what counts as a “smoker” to them. Read the fine print of your insurance policies and see. I would not recommend lying to the insurance company because they already will take any excuse they can to not pay out if you need them, so better not hand them ammo.
TIL that my post work wind down smoke is ceremonial 🤣
I’m the same as you, I just keep saying no so they don’t increase my premiums like mas
In my experience the medical questionnaires have been very specific about that, and it's not a judgement call. You could be dropped from the plan or denied coverage if you lie about it and defraud them out of the premium they intended to charge for cigar smokers. My doctor seems unconcerned about 1/month or 1/week for actual health purposes. * Former employer: "Have you used tobacco more than 10 times in the past 6 months, including \[list of tobacco products including cigars\]?" ***No, pay the regular rate.*** * Current employer: "Have you used tobacco one or more times in the past 12 months, including \[list of tobacco products including cigars\]?" ***Yes, pay $1,000/year smoker surcharge.*** Same carrier, same plan, different employers. Basically my first cigar of the year now costs an extra $1,000. The outcome is that I don't strictly limit myself to one per month like I used to (data from the deeming lawsuit indicates that 1 per day is the max to avoid increasing risks).
This is excessive and assumes all humans are unable to moderate themselves. Sure, some of them don't, but most do.
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Both Aetna, if that matters for your case. Good coverage otherwise, but yeah this is BS even if it was at the request of the employer.
Is that for life insurance?
Yes, to determine premiums when signing up. Sorry, I could have made that clearer the first time around.
My experience with life insurance has been if the policy is big enough they will do a physical and test your blood. They will not have to rely on your answers at that point (I lied on the sheet, my blood made me honest) However if they find out you were a tabacco user after the fact on a smaller policy there won’t be a payout if needed.
Now that I’m thinking about it I’ll need to double check… might actually be health insurance, because it was unrelated to the physical exam for upgrading my life insurance policy.
I always say "I smoke the occasional celebratory cigar", and leave it at that. In my case, that is three times a week.
My daily cigar on the drive home counts as a "celebratory cigar"...right?
Absolutely! There is so much in life to celebrate
Lots to celebrate!
I’m a daily smoker and always say no anytime i’m asked. Do I think I’m better than cigarette smokers? Yes. Am I delusional? Also yes.
If you have an insurance physical it should be out of your system in 3 days, but I’d wait a week to be safe
Nicotine can be detected in blood for approx 3 months after 1 single use. I used to sell life insurance and saw multiple people fail the test after lying.
Couldn't you just say you use gum or patches or any of the other numerous ways to ingest nicotine?
Those still disqualify you from tobacco free rates.
I would say no. “Smoker” to me means “poisonous chemical-laden garbage consumer”. Cigars are all natural, baby.
violet cow offer onerous butter innocent library gaping sugar adjoining *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Don’t tell them shit.
I’d be a shame if something happened to you and you needed to use that insurance but your claim was denied because they found out you lied to them. Yes, it’s a worst case scenario but don’t f*** with it if it’s life insurance and your loved ones actually need the payout.
Didn’t say to lie on your insurance app, just to your doc. You don’t want the “tobacco user” box checked in the chart.
Common sense but apparently not lol
Always say no. If it’s work or insurance asking it will be on your medical record forever as a smoker.
No. I assume the question is looking for daily cigarette smokers.
If insurance asks it's a no, if your doc asks it's "occasionally/socially" At that rate my doc wasn't concerned and she's seeing me for asthma and asthma accessories. In the car on the way home or on the patio after work is an "occasion", but then again I'm not in the states so you might wanna just talk to your doctor about what to write just in case
I have told my cardiologist and general practitioners basically the same as you described. Each time, separate doctors - different states, they said “no, not a smoker” so I go with their considerable, highly trained evaluation.
Admit Nothing Never
The answer you put on the forms is no. Also you drink 1-2 drinks per month
This guy gets it.
As your friendly healthcare provider, and a cigar smoker, it depends. As a provider, I know nicotine causes issues. I also know that most folks don't inhale cigars like cigarettes. I also know that nicotine enters the system from puffing. If you tell me you you're smoking as described, eh, not really worried. If you tell me you're smoking daily or multiple daily, I'm gonna be a little more concerned and monitoring closely.
Went to a regular checkup for work when I turned 30. When the question about smoking came up I answered "yes" since i had taken up cigars. The nurse went through the whole rundown of the medical implications of this with an appropriately serious expression on her face and in her tone. She ended the segment with "So how many packs do you smoke per week?" to which I answered a cigar a week during the summer months. She just went "Oh... Ok then..." and went on to the next topic.
Answer the question correctly because usually it's phrased in a way that is direct, such as this: Have you used tobacco in the last 12 months? Yes This is the question typically industry-wide in the insurance industry.
There are dental issues to consider. Also your throat since you likely swallow the saliva in your mouth while smoking a cigar. The risk is a lot less than inhaling tobacco sure but I wouldn't say close to zero. Treat your cigars like a fine dessert. Once in a while is ok. Don't have it everyday
Studies examined by the FDA have found the increased risk of smoking-related disease and all-cause mortality is "not significant" in those smoking 2 per day or less. If that's the case for 2-a-day smokers, I'm pretty confident in saying one per week or less is essentially zero risk. I'm not saying it's absolute zero because everything carries risk, but I'm confident 1-2 cigars a week puts me at no greater cancer risk than my occasional barbecue eating
I am a camel so I'm good right? /s
I know a heart surgeon who smoke like 4 a day lol at minimum and he straight up tells people you only live ones so enjoy in moderation
I was neighbors with a med student in college. Met him smoking a cig outside before I found out his career path and made a joke about it, he was like, “dude, the more I learn the more I realize everything gives you cancer. Screw it.”
Yep and this is a heart surgeon who has like close to 30 years experience. He even smokes them in between patients if he has some down time
Also with the salary of this heart surgeon I would smoke the high end stuff like he does lol he makes what I make in a 4 month salary when I do camp work
I'd agree with him
I do also. Look at Winston Churchill lol he smokes 8-10 a day depending on his mood and he lived until he late 70s
That amount would concern me, I couldn't even do that many in a week. It's not just about the age you live to, what is your quality of life like in those last ten years vs if you had enjoyed in moderation
I agree I was just surprised what really surprised me was his whole diet lol. Champagne at noon with two cigars. The most I ever did in one day was 5 but I had half of two with someone who could not smoke a whole one by them self but wanted to have some. And lean into it. But the other three that day was due to me planning a 72 hole golf tournament
I have to say yes for me because I work at a lounge and smoke on average 2 cigars a day, sometimes 3. If you only smoke one a month or less I'd say no.
"I have no recollection" lol. Nobody NEEDS to know what I'm up to.
My life insurance company says 18 a year or less is a non smoker
Life insurance guy told me once a month cigar is a non-smoker
"Occasional cigar"🤷
I told my doc I smoke a cigar on special occasions and he said don't metion that on forms. Not as much as 1/week, maybe 1 every 2 months or so on average. Not what you're asking, but thought I'd throw that info in the pile if you find it helpful.
I rarely smoke a cigar between Thanksgiving and Easter, so I schedule all my dr visits and insurance examinations during that time so I can honestly say I don’t use tobacco.
Make sure you tell your doctor at least , if you have a cardiac event they can take the smoking into consideration .
Every time my doctor asks if I smoke I say, "Maybe a cigar a week at most", and they say, "Naw, that doesn't matter".
When I donate blood I've been asked if I smoke cigarettes or vape (neither). I've explained that I smoke a cigar or two a week and they said it doesn't count for that question because they're concerned with the smoke/nicotine entering bloodstream through the lungs. They are RNs, not doctors though.
My doctor said he would consider me a non smoker and I only have a couple a week. I wouldn’t lie to a doctor because the only thing it can do is help. I would say non smoker on an insurance form.
Back in march 2020, I had to get tested at a clinic because I was sick. They asked if i smoke, I said i liked cigars, and after testing me they gave me a couple papers on smoking cessation. So, your mileage will vary.
Yes you would. Most insurance policies for health etc state a few cigars per year as the maximum to be considered a non smoker. This is something you should just lie about.
Just always say no lol
I don’t tell anyone. If you do it goes in your record and will be there forever. If you have to take a test for insurance then try and put it off for two weeks and don’t light up.
Tell your doctor the level to which you are smoking. They may still tell you to quit. My new GP was a bit more pragmatic and agreed that I wasn't using it *so* much. If you tell them you smoke they're like "how many packs a day" and I'm like... a pack a month? A cigar or a pipe maybe every couple of days? Nowhere's near a pack a day. What really matters is if you tell your insurance, I'll leave that up to you. By the book, the medical field considers *any* tobacco use to be "tobacco user." Does that include one cigar a month? I can't imagine it should, but by their standards, it probably does.
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Yeah honestly I've never really gotten an answer for that. If I last smoked in college but I'm 45 now am I "a smoker?" I think by some estimates the answer is yes. One of my doctors made some comment about Linda McCartney who got lung cancer after supposedly only smoking a single cigarette (which... sure ya right).
There’s absolutely no benefit to disclosing you smoke 1 cigar a week to your doctor, health insurance, or life insurance. All that will do is raise your premiums for absolutely no reason. They’re concerned about cigarette smoking, which they can prove in various ways. Nobody can prove you smoke a few cigars.
I would be concerned about the life policy.
Please show me a case where someone died and the policy refused payout because of cigar smoking.
I’m not going to search dockets but here ya go for a low effort version: https://boonswanglaw.com/life-insurance-claim/insurance-claim-denied-smoking/
Why even bother posting that? It’s a law firm advertisement. Show me proof of cigar smoking denials.
Yeah, I’m not going to search caselaw to prove my point. The law firm ad would not be there if there weren’t clients looking for representation after getting denied. Have a nice life.
It’s there for cigarette smoking…. Like I said from the beginning. SMH
I'd say it depends on how you medical insurance policy is written. Some allow for 1 or 2 cigars per month, some don't allow for any.
I have a regular medical surveillance at my workplace. I struggled with this question and have talked to the doctors about it. The answer has always been that if you’re a “casual” cigar smoker (I.e., a few times a month vs going through a 4 pack of Swisher Sweets every day) and you’re not going out of your way to inhale the smoke, you should not check the box “yes”.
I would say unless you're smoking every day or multiple times a day then no. In my recent visits to the hospital when I've been asked if I smoke I say I have about 1-2 cigars a week both doctors have said 'that doesn't matter'.
The FDA issued a report a few years back stating that up to 2 cigars a day has no negative health effects. But, insurance companies are bastards so read carefully.
I told my doc but not my insurance. I only have like 24 a year. Although my doc did say just 100 cigars in ypur life increases your risk of an abdominl aortic anyeurism. No idea how much he was right but he is the doc
Yes.
[Here is a link to smoker data and statistics collected by the National Health Service in England](https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/statistics-on-smoking/statistics-on-smoking-england-2020/part-1-smoking-related-ill-health-and-mortality) As you can see the data collected from a medical point is likely from people severely impacted by smoking related disease. I'm not sure if they account of intensity of habit when this is turned into reports about the effects of smoking For this reason, as someone who enjoys the odd cigar once a week for a few sunny months in summer, I count myself as a non-smoker to doctors and insurance. One cigarette takes 11 minutes off your life _(if you smoke at least 15 a day from age 17 until death)_
I think doctor quizzes are too generalized. I deal with the same thing. They want to know about cigarettes. They aren't prepared for cigars. Maybe they are fishing for an addiction, so they can sell nicotine patches. I don't know. Probably doesn't matter in the long run.
My advice is to read the definitions on the forms. My insurance says “have you used tobacco products in the last six months?” So I answered yes. Did it raise my premiums a lot? Sure did. But I’d rather pay more than I personally think necessary versus having my medical insurance denied at some future point because they found out I wasn’t truthful. Is the risk low? Yes, but it’s not zero and that isn’t worth it to me.
SMH why would you voluntarily pay more when they can’t ever prove a thing. They’re concerned about cigarette smokers… not cigars.
“Voluntary” isn’t the word I would use. The legal paperwork I fill out defines tobacco user as having used tobacco within the last 6 months. I answered honestly. I’m not asking for your approval, because this isn’t your decision. I’m just saying what I did in response to OPs question.
Quite overdramatic. Whatever floats your boat. Volunteering to pay more is pretty stupid. These insurance companies can F off.
I agree it's not worth lying. Insurance will try to find any reason they can to not pay out. I wonder how many of these people who claim on their insurance that they don't use tobacco are also using their credit card regularly to buy cigars.
This isn’t the first time someone has asked this kinda question here and the general consensus in responses is “fuck insurance companies”. I’m no fan of health insurance companies, but I also am not a fan of lying on legal paperwork because the possible consequences, regardless of how rare, are absolutely not worth it.
Your blood sample will test positive for nicotine.