NHS sanctions.

[abaris]

I think elective surgeries like ACL reconstructions and SLAP repairs are the surgeries that are in this discussion.

Point is, it could be anything as long as nobody knows the details. There are conditions that leave you in constant pain if you don't get surgery. Like certain hip or back conditions. They might have to do something with bmi, but nothing with smoking. To leave them untreated is also a form of torture. But it's useless to speculate until we know what this is all about.