oliver tree
Starting in California in 1990 and spreading throughout America, Italy and France, Berliners are now faced with the reality of a smoke free public space. As a British subject, I witnessed in July 2007 the UK becoming the latest in that long line of smoke free countries. With sanctimonious declarations from Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt “… a historic day for public health…”, and rousing populist sloganeering from Cancer Research UK that we were “…making the nation a lot healthier….”, I couldn’t help wondering if they had all somehow missed the point.
Sure, cigarette sales have declined by 0.5% in 6 months since the ban and yes statistics demonstrate that more people are quitting, but is the UK nation on a ‘healthier’ course due to the ban? Aside from the illiberality of the act does restricting the consumption of a legal substance really make for a healthier nation? The same tactics were used three years ago, again in the UK, but only this time the target was alcohol. Filled with lurid tabloid tales that the streets of Britain resembled a latter day Gin Lane, the government decided to threaten everything from fining the drink industry to taxing pubs and clubs who sold “alcopops” and shots at knock-down prices. The result; continued ‘binge’ drinking with supermarkets cashing in, by slashing their prices to account for the pubs and clubs’ shortfall.
A healthier nation does not arise from the prohibition of trans-fats or nicotine any more than raising the duty on petrol reduces cars on the road. Despite a decline in UK cigarette sales I would be willing to bet the incidence of regular exercise, a healthy diet or the moderation of other unhealthy vices has, if anything, continued its steady decline. The only logical conclusion to draw from this spate of altruistic penalties and bans is that ultimately in order to bring about greater public health governments need to tax, legislate and fine any substance deemed ‘unhealthy’ into oblivion.Instead of this obvious fallacy let me propose a longer term, albeit controversial solution, remove publicly funded health care. Allow people to realise the real cost of a drunken night out as they pay to be patched up at casualty, see their health insurance premiums rise if they choose to smoke 50 a day, consume fast food and never exercise.
Unfortunately for Berliners, it is too late to stop your ban. However, please do not believe that prohibition ever did anything other than create bootleggers, and that forced restriction never solves the real issue of intangible financial accountability.
