Rants

Surely it comes as no surprise at all to discover yet another troughing organisation suckling on the over-abundant cash-cow that is tobacco control, yet this one takes it to a whole new level of incredulousness.

When I woke up this morning I wasn’t expecting a whole host of shenanigans to be floating around the media. I knew that something was coming at some point thanks to some very good friends in the know, all very secret squirrel like.  What I didn’t expect was the sheer insanity of it all.

A common refrain from many in the tobacco control camp. They want you to stop smoking because, well kids. They also don’t want you to stop smoking by vaping because, well kids.

State funded fake charities aimed at “promoting the stop smoking message” are no different. Just recently ASH wanted the UK Government to force tobacco companies to pay a levy to “fund further tobacco control efforts” and we all know how that’s turned out in the US don’t we?

It is rare that I feel the need to blog when angry, I usually like to let my thoughts cool off so I can put them in some semblance of order to articulate exactly why I am angry. Though in this case anger doesn’t factor in to it, more like total disappointment.

All of the posts on this blog contain an opinion, mostly my opinion which usually differs greatly from the article or study that I’m picking apart. This post is no different except in this case, my opinion likely differs from _everybody elses’ _opinion too.

Everybody has opinions them and I am thankful that many of you regularly stop by to read my opinions. Whether you take them to heart or not is entirely up to you.

We all know how badly the state wants to control our lives, from deciding what we can and cannot eat to where we can and where we can’t light up a ciggie or vape.

Of course, they always make some ridiculous claim about it being for “public health” or to “protect the kiddies” as if saying that makes their state sponsored intervention into our private lives makes it alright. I got news for you, stay the hell out of my private life. It is mine to do with as I please and not the property of the State for you to control.

In a rare display of self-restraint, I decided to hold off putting my thoughts down on this one, not because I didn’t want to. I held off mainly because I’ve had a lot of other advocacy stuff to do locally along with my usual 9-5.  More on the local advocacy in another post I think. I digress, in the first sentence too!

New South Wales, Australia. Come with me on a little journey, if you will and let’s see what insanity awaits.

It seems that it is OK for public health to put tobacco and kids in the same place whilst beating the ever tiresome drum of think of the cheeeldren!

Honestly, it’s getting more than a little fucking annoying now.

This blog is generally, by and large aimed at picking apart press releases, poking fun at the anti brigade, and of course my own muddled thoughts.  I also like to try to entertain my readers when I can.

I’ve thought long and hard about this post.  Ever since putting up my thoughts on the TPD and what it means for me personally as well as what it will mean for everyone.

Within the realms of the so-called ‘public health’ arena, there is always an agenda. More often than not, those agendas may actually prove to be beneficial to the actual public. But that’s in terms of actual medical professionals, the boots on the ground. When it comes to the other entities claiming ‘public health’ agendas. Not so much.