Sunday, February 27, 2005
Big Bad Tobacco
As if people don't know already of the dangers of smoking, a global tobacco treaty came into being today.
Fortunately, this treaty has not been ratified by the U.S. (and China).
So what about free will and personal responsibility? We’ve know for ages that cigarette smoking is a health hazard. And who is grabbing children off the playground and forcing them, at gunpoint to smoke cigarettes?
Also, after tobacco, what’s next? Beef and dairy? Then dark meat chicken? I wouldn’t be surprised. After all, the dietollahs have been going on for ages that saturated fat is the mother of all dietary bogeymen.
The treaty, known as the FCTC, requires its ratifiers to restrict tobacco advertising and sponsorship, put tougher health warnings on cigarettes and limit use of language such as “low-tar” and “light.” They are to enact price and tax hikes, create controls on secondhand smoke and sales of cigarettes to youngsters, and clamp down on smuggling.
Fortunately, this treaty has not been ratified by the U.S. (and China).
So what about free will and personal responsibility? We’ve know for ages that cigarette smoking is a health hazard. And who is grabbing children off the playground and forcing them, at gunpoint to smoke cigarettes?
Also, after tobacco, what’s next? Beef and dairy? Then dark meat chicken? I wouldn’t be surprised. After all, the dietollahs have been going on for ages that saturated fat is the mother of all dietary bogeymen.
