'Australia Is Stubbing Out Smoking' (bbc.com)

Australia was the first country in the world to introduce mandatory plain packaging for tobacco products. Now it is taking another strong stand, but will other countries follow suit? From an article on BBC, shared by an anonymous reader: It's not easy being a smoker in Australia. The smoking bans started inside -- in workplaces, bars and restaurants -- and moved out. "Now, smoking is prohibited within 10m (33ft) of a playground, within 4m (13ft) of the entrance to a public building, at rail platforms, taxi ranks and bus stops," said Mark Driver, Sydney's Park and Recreation Planner. Those are the rules in New South Wales, but they are mirrored in many other states. Smoking is banned on many beaches, and most Australian states have now banned cigarettes in jail. All states ban smoking in vehicles if children are present. Fines vary, but in some places you may be fined AUD$2,000 (USD$1,515) if you smoke in the wrong place. And even if you don't, you'll be paying more than that each year by 2020, if you smoke just one AUD$40 pack a week. [...] These days, smoking is often taken up by people who are on the lowest rungs of the socio-economic ladder, Simone Dennis, an associate professor at Australian National University, points out, "and that adds a burden of shame to people who might already be marginalised." If it's the poor who are now the most likely to smoke, it's hard to see how they will ever afford the AUD$40 (USD$30) pack of cigarettes.

Comments

Re:What is she suggesting?

[Nutria]

If you're already fat and you insist on spending what little you have on more food, maybe you SHOULD be ashamed. Actually, there's no "maybe" about it. There is nobody alive today who has not heard about the ill effects of being overweight, so there really is no excuse. Governments have implemented free exercise programs (aka sidewalks) to help those same poor people lose weight, and their excuse is always the same - "I'll lose it when I'm ready. I'm not ready yet."

FTFY.

Oh, wait. Fat shaming is Eeeeevil.
http://new3.fjcdn.com/pictures/Fat+shaming+friday+comp+_6d849f_5267853.jpg

Re:The point

[lgw]

So you're agreeing that taxation is a form of force, then?

Also worth noting, "repaving the roads and building bridges" is less than 15% of what a typical government spends money on. Certainly in the US, our government is a pension plan with a military, that does "all the things you take for granted which are delivered by the government" as a very small side-business, budget-wise.