Conficting righteousness

We all know how it works now don't we.

First they came for the smokers.

Well that's almost a done deal isn't it. We've been banned from smoking in our pubs, the good residents of Stony Stratford were almost banned from smoking in their streets, smokers have been de-normalised wholesale and we are only a few small steps from plain packaging and tobacco being sold from under the counter.

Man Widdicome spotted this attempt to make cigarette packaging difficult to use and carry:

The war against smokers is all but won in the eyes of the righteous, so much so that they are already well into phase two.

Then they came for the drinkers.

The myth of alcohol being sold at 'pocket money prices' and 'cheaper than water', minimum pricing and a concerted attempt to have graphic health warnings on booze.

As with cigarettes, the anti alcohol lobby is doing it's best to get alcohol advertising banned. It's already being moved beyond the watershed on TV, but that's not good enough, it never is. A total ban is what they desire.

Now they are trying to vilify the drinks industry by accusing them of targeting advertising at young people on social networking sites.

Children and young people are being targeted by alcohol companies via social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, according to a new report.

The study for the charity Alcohol Concern found social media and own-brand websites were an area of huge interest to the alcohol industry.

NEWSFLASH! Young people drink. It is illegal to sell booze to under eighteens and it is illegal for them to buy it, however young people from eighteen to twenty-four enjoy a drink. They also use Facebook and Twitter a lot.

I worked in the licenced trade for many years and the 18-24 age range was a big target. More young people than any other age range go out drinking at weekends and they have more disposable cash than older folk with kids and mortgages.

There are many pubs that are designed specifically for people in this age range. It's what they want and it's perfectly legal.

But god forbid we allow the alcohol industry to advertise to it's key demographic in places where those adverts are likely to be seen.

The de-normalisation of alcohol and it's users is also well underway. So much so that we can now move on to phase three.

Then they came for the fat whaps.

Yup. Anyone over the health lobby approved size will be bullied into loosing weight.

What's the best way to shed a few pounds and keep them off?

A glass of wine a day can actually stop people from getting fat and may even help people to lose weight, say scientists.

Oops!

Quick! De-normalise salt!