WESTERN Australia’s pathetic ABC journalists are whining and crying over the fact that Fremantle cafes are selling tobacco under the counter.
Other media has reported that about half of the state’s corner stores are selling “illegal tobacco”. The reason is obvious: government bureaucrats have taxed tobacco to ridiculous levels to the point where it is no longer affordable and retailers are prepared to risk prosecution by selling black market products.
The ABC journalists apparently think we the public should be anxious and alarmed by the fact that the government is losing revenue because of this. We can assure the ABC that the public, especially smokers, do not give a solitary crap.
“So how did illegal tobacco take over what was once an attractive cafe and restaurant strip?” the journalists ask.
They apparently don’t understand that the national illegal tobacco trade is a direct result of nanny state bureaucrats and NGO-types trying to tax tobacco out of existence, because it’s allegedly a noble “health objective” – just like mRNA vaccines.
The ABC and WA health authorities have chosen to ignore the fact that nicotine actually has health benefits. This is confirmed in a study published in the US National Library of Medicine. The study does not support smoking but states “Yet nicotine in its pure form has the potential to be a valuable pharmaceutical agent”.
The abstract of the study explains: “Nicotine fairly specifically binds to the cholinergic nicotinic gating site on cationic ion channels in receptors throughout the body. This action stimulates the release of a variety of neurotransmitters including especially catecholamines and serotonin.
“When chronically taken, nicotine may result in: (1) positive reinforcement, (2) negative reinforcement, (3) reduction of body weight, (4) enhancement of performance, and protection against; (5) Parkinson’s disease (6) Tourette’s disease (7) Alzheimers disease, (8) ulcerative colitis and (9) sleep apnea.”
So while exposure to nicotine from smoking often creates addiction and exposes the smoker to carcinogenic materials, the ill effects are not guaranteed and life experience shows that many smokers have lived long lives – and the beneficial effects of nicotine exposure may well have been a factor.
But smoking itself can be avoided through the use of nicotine patches, that are sold at chemist outlets as “fix” for avoiding the habit of lighting up.
Whatever the dangers and benefits of smoking, the substance does not deserve to be targeted as an evil blight on society by bureaucrats and organisations like the Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH).
Like the good little nanny state advocates they are, the ABC reminds us that WA’s health department “is responsible for issuing fines for the distribution of illegal tobacco through undertaking compliance, monitoring and carrying out investigations”.
“It is therefore the responsibility of the health minister, Meredith Hammat, to introduce the laws to parliament,” they advise.
“When questioned on the issue at press conferences, Ms Hammath failed to offer any details on what the legislation will look like or when it will be ready,” the ABC added. Get the hint minister? We’re the ABC and our job is to enforce the nanny state. Got it?
