The problem with Prohibition is that they didn't give enough lead time!

At least that's what Tasmanian politicians think.

Their idea is to make it illegal for anyone born after 2000 to buy tobacco products.

Forever.

And their upper house supported this prohibition by inches unanimously. So how do they justify it? With a mix of patronizing nanny statism and a gob of "We're not coming after your smokes" that would make the Anti-Gun people blush.

They explain that they're not prohibiting anyone who can currently smoke from smoking. They just criminalize any new smokers. Exactly like pre-ban and post ban magazines or pre-86 and post-86 machine guns.

What ever happened to "get your laws" off my body? Or is a person's health an aspect of national interest now?

Nice equal rights there too. As it's a naked discrimination based on age. What a great way to show the capriciousness of governmental banning. In 2020 there will be a 20 year old that can legally smoke and a 19 year old that cannot. Or in 2040 when it will be a 40 year old and a 39 year old.

A state that feels comfortable, unanimous, and morally righteous in such ineffective, discriminatory, and callous abuses of power is one quite predisposed to more... rash actions, if it's in the greater good.

As Gay Cynic in GBC notes: "After all, you don't want to treat citizens like adults capable of making their own choices..."

But hey, it's for the Children! And yes by 2040 those "children" will be as old as 39. But come on, we all know the government sees the common rabble as children, at best.


And nothing bad ever comes of prohibition.