"smoking is bad"

Apparently, displaying cigarettes in shops could be banned and tougher controls on vending machines in pubs and restaurants could be introduced in England under government plans being considered to cut adult smoking and to discourage children from starting.

Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said it was "vital" to teach children that "smoking is bad". "If that means stripping out vending machines or removing cigarettes from behind the counter, I'm willing to do that".


If this Labour government believes that it is "vital" to teach children that "smoking is bad" then why not ban smoking altogether? Surely this Labour Government's need for the tax revenue raised from taxing tobacco couldn't be the reason. I do like Ms Primarolo's use of the "will nobody think of the children" argument, that so many think negates all opposition, I do of course use like in completely its wrong sense.


For the record, and as I have said before, I do not smoke, I have never smoked, I hate the smell of cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke and hate even more the smell of stale smoke on my clothes and skin the day after an evening out in a bar or club. I avoid smoky restaurants and bars and have changed tables to avoid people smoking next to me. So I obviously supported the ban on smoking in all public places that came into force in England on 1 July 2007; actually no I didn't. This was just another way of the state controlling the public.