http://www.theregister.co.uk/…

A government advisor has suggested that the problem of Brits continuing to smoke themselves to death might be tackled by requiring nicotine addicts to obtain a £200 annual licence, the Telegraph reports.

Professor Julian le Grand, a “former advisor to Tony Blair” who is a lecturer in social policy at the London School of Economics and “advises ministers through his chairmanship of Health England”, made his proposal this week as a Department of Health report said that while “smoking prevalence is falling among both males and females”, far too many of us are popping our clogs as a result of coronary disease and other smoking-related ailments.

Accordingly, and since simply raising the price of gaspers has not in the past convinced hardened smokers to quit, le Grand declared that “requiring them to fill in forms, and have photographs taken in order to apply for a permit would prove a more effective deterrent”.

The master plan is to issue an initial yearly fag permit, and once up and running, the scheme could be “extended so smokers had to get a doctor’s signature that their health was not at ‘massive risk’ by smoking in order to get a licence”.

They have no shame. They make no attempt to hide their nanny state push. I kindof want this to gain traction and be implemented. Soon they’ll be stopping people on the street asking for their smoking papers. Afterwards they can put high taxes on fatty foods. When people don’t stop eating unhealthy food the government can then introduce a license. You’ll be given fatty credits when you register the healthy foods you eat and how much you’ve exercised. With a note from your NHS doctor of course. Later if they suspect that your eating habits have lead to some problem NHS will be sure to place you at the end of the line. Why should the government and therefore the people have to pay for your bad habits?

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