The probability density function (PDF) for being hospitalized due to smoking or obesity is very wide but not tall. The PDF for being hospitalized due to COVID is not wide but is tall.

It is things with not wide but tall PDFs that cause problems with hospital capacity because it generally takes a fairly long time to increase hospital capacity.

Things with very wide but not tall PDFs are much easier to deal with because you've got years to build up capacity for them and that increased capacity will be needed for decades. The latter is important because it means a young person can look at that increased long term need and choose a career in healthcare knowing that the demand will still be there 10-14 years later when they've finished school and residency and will still be their long enough to see them through their entire career.

Our hospital capacity is already built out to deal with public health issue that it already deals with. This is a special case (if you somehow did not notice - how often have you heard about hospital overcrowding in the US before?).

When obesity, HIV and smoking related illnesses are easily transmitted by breathing and (largely) easily avoided by getting vaccinated I'll have a problem with them too