Is Government Ban on Tobacco Wrong?

Introduction:

Government passes law to the society to prevent the risk factor that is of significant harm to their health or life. Some of those activities that cause risk are drinking and driving, use of dangerous weapons. We notice that these activities pose a risk to others who are not engaged in these activities. But there are activities that pose a danger to the participant who engage in them. For example, drinking, smoking, rock climbing. Since all states follow freedom, the state cannot pass laws that forbid consenting adults from participating in such activities just because they cause harm to them. A person engaging in an activity with full knowledge of the risks involved is morally justified. It is morally wrong to get into a person’s freedom just to prevent him from harming himself.

Argument:

1. State has no business passing laws that forbid knowledgeable and consenting adults from engaging in activities that pose risk of harm to them.

2. Smoking in private places is considered to be an activity that does not pose risk of harm to others.

3. Therefore, State cannot pass law to prevent smoking in private.

Defense of Premises of the argument:

To restrict a person’s freedom by preventing him from harming himself is morally not permissible. Law can only restrict people who cannot engage in harmful activities with full knowledge. For example, a child does not know the consequences of smoking. In that case state has the responsibility in preventing such activities, thus government has a law to prevent young age smokers. It is illegal for person under age of 18 to buy tobacco products or to get tobacco products from people above age of 18. Every person has a responsibility of their own life...

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...re.

2. Government has made the cigarette manufacturers print a government mandated health warnings on cigarette packets from 1966, explicitly to warn the users of the dangers of the products. Package health warning messages appear in every package of tobacco products. Package is an important component in the overall marketing tragedy of consumer goods. Thus the health warning messages has been implemented in order to enhance public awareness about the harmful effects of smoking. The health warning message has a set of messages explaining the risk factors, warning of all the diseases that can be cause due to smoking and the toxic substances used. Thus it is the responsibility of the smoker to read all the information before they start engaging themselves in such activity. Because they engage in smoking knowing the risk of harm caused due to smoking.