Even though I am no longer a smoker, and even though I have never been a fan of Liz Truss, I applaud her for having the courage to speak out, then and now, on this illiberal and profoundly undemocratic legislation.
Politicians are passing this legislation for several reasons, one of which is to save the NHS money. This is absurd for two very important reasons: the first being that smokers contribute far, far more in taxes to the Treasury than it costs the NHS to treat them for any illnesses that smoking may cause; the second being that the NHS was established to be of service to the people, not for the people to be of service to the NHS! To limit people’s freedom for the sake of the NHS is to take the cart before the horse!
Furthermore, if we want to save the NHS money, then we should all stop drinking alcohol, stop consuming sugar, stop partaking in dangerous sports, and even stop driving!
It was disgraceful of Rishi Sunak to propose this bill. I once read that he only proposed it because he wanted to protect his two daughters! How true that is, I do not know. What I do know is that he was very un-Conservative to propose it. Conservatives are supposed to believe in individual liberty. A true Conservative is supposed to be against government interference in one’s personal affairs.
What further appals me about this legislation is just how silent the legacy media is on the issue. Just about all of the newspapers are just lying down and playing dead!
Fact is, now they’re going after the smokers; soon, they’ll be going after the drinkers and the obese. Mark my words!
I am reminded of Martin Niemöller’s famous words:
”First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
—Martin Niemöller (1892 – 1984)
