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?

British “Fat Tax” Would Mean More Intrusive Government

A “fat tax” on salty, sugary and fatty foods could save thousands of lives each year, according to a study published on Thursday. Researchers at Oxford University say that charging Value Added Tax (VAT) at 17.5 percent on foods deemed to be unhealthy would cut consumer demand and reduce the number of heart attacks and strokes. The purchase tax is already levied on a small number of products such as potato crisps, ice cream, confectionery and chocolate biscuits, but most food is exempt. The move could save an estimated 3,200 lives in Britain each year, according to the study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. …Any “fat tax” might be seen as an attack on personal freedom and would weigh more heavily on poorer families, the study warned. A food tax would raise average weekly household bills by 4.6 percent or 67 pence per person. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has previously rejected the idea as an example of the “nanny state” that might push people away from healthy food.

Does anything really need to be said here? Perhaps they can give tax breaks to those who eat health or work out? The government/NHS could write up exactly how every citizen should live and tax those who don’t follow. Fines for more severe infractions and imprisonment in health camp for the worst of them. It’s for their wellbeing… and the government does pay for the healthcare so they should have a say.

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