Smoking ban, fitness tests for healthier nation

[Attero Dominatus]

moking ban, fitness tests for healthier nation

By Sharri Markson

April 20, 2008 01:36am
Article from: The Sunday Telegraph

SMOKING would be banned for everyone born next year, junk food would be taxed and everyone would be subjected to a fitness test by 2020.

By comparison, the cost of healthy food, including fruit and vegetables, would be reduced to reflect its low environmental impact and obvious health benefits.

These are just a few of the ideas from 100 of the nation's health experts who discussed the best way to combat obesity, reduce illness and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon said one idea put forward in a submission was an annual national fitness test where citizens would receive a financial incentive if they pass.

Health stream participants in the 2020 summit also discussed increasing public education about how death can be a "positive experience" to avoid patients panicking when they reach hospital emergency departments.

Health participant, Meredith Sheil, a former Westmead Children's Hospital pediatrician, said many participants had suggested a ban on cigarette sales by 2020.

"A lot of the health submissions suggested a ban on smoking by 2020," she said.

"You would say, 'OK, from now on everybody born after 2008, you are not allowed to sell cigarettes (to)'."

nannystatism. no doubt the democrats will want it here.

continued: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23566377-2,00.html

[Lord Undies]

The ghost of George Orwell, wherever he is, must be laughing his ass off.

[Chris_]

A lot of hand wringing over the rising costs of health care for the aging boomers. Companies are holding health seminars and either attempting to dock employee's pay for excessive body mass or providing incentives to keep it in check.

I'm torn. I really feel people who abuse their bodies should pay higher premiums. It's truly their choice to engage in unhealthy living and why should I pay for it?

[Chris_]

I hate f-ing health nazis.

[Lord Undies]

A lot of hand wringing over the rising costs of health care for the aging boomers. Companies are holding health seminars and either attempting to dock employee's pay for excessive body mass or providing incentives to keep it in check.

I'm torn. I really feel people who abuse their bodies should pay higher premiums. It's truly their choice to engage in unhealthy living and why should I pay for it?

The sharing of the cost of bad choices is part of the price we pay for freedom.  Society can discourage such choices, and probably should, but when society starts to single out and segregate folks according to actions and behavior, folks are no longer free.  No freedom can be found when folks are trying to conform to the desires of others in almost every aspect of their lives in order to avoid penalties.

Once started, where does it stop?  When will it include irresponsible sexual behavior?  Should people who like to swim in the ocean be penalized?  Will society charge barbers a tax because their profession requires them to keep their arms in positions which may cause heart trouble by the time they retire?  Must we discourage doctors from being around so many sick people?

I am inclined to let people live their lives as they please and accept the market forces at work thereafter, for better or worse.   

[Chris_]

A lot of hand wringing over the rising costs of health care for the aging boomers. Companies are holding health seminars and either attempting to dock employee's pay for excessive body mass or providing incentives to keep it in check.

I'm torn. I really feel people who abuse their bodies should pay higher premiums. It's truly their choice to engage in unhealthy living and why should I pay for it?

The sharing of the cost of bad choices is part of the price we pay for freedom.  Society can discourage such choices, and probably should, but when society starts to single out and segregate folks according to actions and behavior, folks are no longer free.  No freedom can be found when folks are trying to conform to the desires of others in almost every aspect of their lives in order to avoid penalties.

Once started, where does it stop?  When will it include irresponsible sexual behavior?  Should people who like to swim in the ocean be penalized?  Will society charge barbers a tax because their profession requires them to keep their arms in positions which may cause heart trouble by the time they retire?  Must we discourage doctors from being around so many sick people?

I am inclined to let people live their lives as they please and accept the market forces at work thereafter, for better or worse.   

Like I said in my post, I am torn on this subject. I understand the notion of freedom, but I also see health rationing via "socialized medicine" on the horizon. Because we won't be able to pay for everything, we will be forced to cut services. And.... services will not be cut for groups with strong political lobbying forces (AIDS, illegals, etc), they will start with the most vulnerable of society (elderly, disabled, unborn). And finally, euthanization will become an obligation.

[jendf]

This stuff scares the you-know-what out of me.

[Chris_]

This stuff scares the you-know-what out of me.

Me too jen.

[Attero Dominatus]

Like I said in my post, I am torn on this subject. I understand the notion of freedom, but I also see health rationing via "socialized medicine" on the horizon. Because we won't be able to pay for everything, we will be forced to cut services. And.... services will not be cut for groups with strong political lobbying forces (AIDS, illegals, etc), they will start with the most vulnerable of society (elderly, disabled, unborn). And finally, euthanization will become an obligation.

doctors are in britain are already calling for treatment to be withheld from people who lead unhealthy lives. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=HZNFOXI0TX0ZTQFIQMGCFF4AVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2008/01/27/nhs127.xml

[Chris_]

Like I said in my post, I am torn on this subject. I understand the notion of freedom, but I also see health rationing via "socialized medicine" on the horizon. Because we won't be able to pay for everything, we will be forced to cut services. And.... services will not be cut for groups with strong political lobbying forces (AIDS, illegals, etc), they will start with the most vulnerable of society (elderly, disabled, unborn). And finally, euthanization will become an obligation.

doctors are in britain are already calling for treatment to be withheld from people who lead unhealthy lives. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=HZNFOXI0TX0ZTQFIQMGCFF4AVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2008/01/27/nhs127.xml

I don't want people to think I am advocating witholding healthcare from anyone, even those who willfully lead destructive lives. I do believe in freedom. But I also believe that with freedom comes responsibility.

I don't know how to unravel out of this mess, but I do know that once government steps in (and they likely will), it will be one big cluster fck.

On edit: I really think I need to take a happy pill, I am all gloom and doom today. Either the happy pill or the frigging sun needs to shine one of these days. 

[DumbAss Tanker]

Stength through joy, baby.  All this needs is a eugenics component.

 

[Chris_]

Stength through joy, baby.  All this needs is a eugenics component.

 

I know, I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. But, the sun finally came out and I am loving life, hell I may even change my mind about freedom.   

[Lord Undies]

Stength through joy, baby.  All this needs is a eugenics component.

 

I know, I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. But, the sun finally came out and I am loving life, hell I may even change my mind about freedom.   

The only thing the slightest bit red about you is your hair roots.   :innocent:

[Ptarmigan]

nannystatism. no doubt the democrats will want it here.

continued: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23566377-2,00.html

It time for an enema against the left. Other nations have done that with great success.

[Ptarmigan]

The sharing of the cost of bad choices is part of the price we pay for freedom.  Society can discourage such choices, and probably should, but when society starts to single out and segregate folks according to actions and behavior, folks are no longer free.  No freedom can be found when folks are trying to conform to the desires of others in almost every aspect of their lives in order to avoid penalties.

Once started, where does it stop?  When will it include irresponsible sexual behavior?  Should people who like to swim in the ocean be penalized?  Will society charge barbers a tax because their profession requires them to keep their arms in positions which may cause heart trouble by the time they retire?  Must we discourage doctors from being around so many sick people?

I am inclined to let people live their lives as they please and accept the market forces at work thereafter, for better or worse.  

Good point. I read an article that fighting obesity is more expensive than doing nothing. It would be better to leave it alone. Problem is we are too risk adverse, something that was non-existant 20 years ago. 

[rich_t]

I hate f-ing health nazis.

Amen!

[Chris_]

Stength through joy, baby.  All this needs is a eugenics component.

 

I know, I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. But, the sun finally came out and I am loving life, hell I may even change my mind about freedom.   

The only thing the slightest bit red about you is your hair roots.   :innocent:

Ha!

[LC EFA]

Check these out for more if the insane BS that came out of this (from one of the few worthwhile conservative media people)  :

http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/watching_the_summit/

and

http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/further_scenes_from_the_farce/

It might look like a parody, but brutha ... it ain't.

Those people are a disgrace to this country.