Are Americans becoming more tolerant of smokers? The latest results from a Gallup poll suggests they may be.

Gallup conducted a "consumption habits" (read: lifestyle choices) survey in July, asking respondents whether they thought smokers and people who are obese should pay higher insurance rates.

A decade ago, the survey showed that 65 percent thought smokers should pay more. Now, that's down to 58 percent. The Gallup folks shrugged off the drop, saying it was "down modestly."

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Dan Cook

Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.