this is a tossup between political forum and lifestyle - it is directly about lifestyle so I will air it here - also less nutters :)
Something has come up lately that I think if it gets air, will change - and certainly is the precedent for change to much in our way of life.
And, it's to do with smoking - but it's impact is going to potentially and probably effect far more than smokers - my guess is it will effect all of us - just a matter of time.
Now for quite a while Australia has had very similar anti smoking laws that are extremely similar to rules that Hitler brought in -------------- that probably should have set our antennae up anyway.
Recently we have had cigarettes etc. going into the ugly packets - cigars need to be unpacked at sale and placed into ugly zip bags etc. etc.
All in the drive to stop people smoking - so we are told.
However, there is a new move afoot - and one that should alarm us all.
There is an idea floating around to add substance to cigarettes and the like to make it taste bad - to make it unpalatable.
Now if you are a non smoker - this might not mean a lot, if you are a smoker, you might just see it as another attack on your choices in life.
However, think through what this might mean for the future.
Already we are thinking of putting the warnings and uglies on alcoholic beverage lables - as discussed here already.
So what is the next stop? Fatty foods, salty foods? Fast foods?
Just where are we going to draw the line?
Is your Macca's quarter pounder going to come in a bag with a picture of an obese person on it with a warning - or perhaps a legless diabetic?
Why not? That is exactly what is being done with tobacco.
How about your favourite Brie or other soft cheese?
We already know they are thinking about wine and spirits etc.
OK,think that is bad enough? Well how about when that Brie or wine or Maccas has a substance in it to make it taste like crap, so you eat less of it or none altogether?
Too far fetched?
Why?
The precedent is being talked about NOW.
This is very very different to all the smoking laws so far - this is adding something to your choice in life to make you have less of it.
This is even different from banning smoking altogether.
Now I believe at this stage this seems laughable - but remember, this is precedent ----------- one of the most powerful things in not only law, but how humans work in general.
Personally, I don't care if we are smokers or non smokers - this needs to be discussed widely - and imo at this stage I think it is a step way too far.
