THEY’VE become modern-day pariahs, earning scorn and derision with every flick of a lighter.
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The civil rights of smokers to engage in a legal activity in public have slowly been eroded by rampant
over-regulation and nanny state hysteria.
Cigarettes are taxed to the hilt, packets are plastered with graphic warnings and our TV screens are awash with ads featuring cancer-riddled ex-smokers.
“No smoking” signs are now ubiquitous – workplaces, playgrounds, pubs, shopping centres and public transport.
And if a group of Tamworth councillors gets its way, the CBD could soon be smoke-free too.
The group, headed by strident anti-drug campaigner Warren Woodley, wants to explore the possibility of banning smoking in the CBD and the city’s parks and gardens.
Councillors should be commended for trying to make a positive influence on the health of their constituents and the aesthetic of the city.
But by seeking to extend further our already draconian smoking laws, they risk violating two fundamental tenets of Australian society – tolerance and freedom.
The rights of smokers are the same as all other people – they have self-ownership, and have the right to do what they like with their body, even if it’s harmful.
Passive smoking is often cited as a reason to clamp down on smokers.
There is some evidence people who live in close contact with heavy smokers for several decades have a marginally higher risk of health problems.
But to suggest walking past a smoker in the open air poses a health risk is a dramatic overreach.
The government is not responsible for our private lifestyle choices.
And forcing the will of the majority onto a minority is not healthy for a democracy.
Yes, smoking in public places is a concern.
But the unchecked erosion of a person’s basic rights is far more concerning.