Re: More Government Meddling.
 

Lets apply that logic to smokers

Smoking causes many medical conditions. You should be excluded from the NHS and not be allowed into any private medical care. If you become ill you can die - its your fault becasue you choose to smoke.
Smoking makes you smell disgusting. I find this offensive so you should not be allowing in any public places.
You should not be allowed to smoke anywhere except your own house incase you polute the air of any non smokers.

Yep - I'm sure a lot of adults (and kids) would be very hurt indeed, but it is TRUE.

Perhaps it's time to try the truth, rather than kindness and respect for some esoteric notion of "Human Rights".

Re: More Government Meddling.
 

Tealeaf, I was NOT saying that the fast food firms would question the link between fast food and obesity.....That is proved beyond a shadow of a doubt.....what I meant was the link between the sending in of EHO's and the governments desire to stop kids eating fast food.

In many senses, we as parents must shoulder some of the blame.....if we take the kids to MC D's....or KFC....or the chip shop because we can't be bothered to cook.

And when you look at it children are at school for a very small part of the day.....do the government think that children only eat at School...?

The media send out mixed messages too. Recently there was an article in one of the newspapers (not a red top either) that said Diet coke was better nutritionally than a milk drink.
The producers of food label their products in such a way to make you believe that they are healthier for you.

It is going to take generations to deal with this problem.....and it is going to need effort on more than one front.
Bring back School kitchens.
Bring back Cookery lessons For all pupils....and from an early age....say 6
Bring back school playing fields......because diet alone isn't the answer to obesity....we must foster the habit of healthy exercise.

And Neil, I worked with a consultant who used shocking tactics to get his patients to give up smoking. He used to tell his patients that if the continued to effing smoke.....he would not effing treat them.....his initials were A.M. Maybe Lettie will confirm this story.

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Why bother? We already have more people than we can afford to treat on the NHS and it is obvious that we certainly cannot afford pensions for them all if they live longer through following a sensible diet and exercise regime.

Neil: I would be more than happy to cut the subsidy I provide for the NHS through taxation and seek whatever medical treatment I need privately, the amount in duty which I fork out annually would more than cover my costs. But, could the Government and the Country cope with the loss of an annual £20 billion in tax revenue if every smoker followed suit?

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Yes A-B, and that is the reason why the government do not put more effort into finding alternative sources of energy and serious means of getting smokers to quit.....heaven forbid that those two milk cows should run dry......the smoker and the driver are the two richest veins of revenue for the government.

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Sorry that was a bit of thread wandering there.

I know that the playing fields are gone.....housing estates now......and the chances of getting school kitchens back are very slim. But I am sure the strategies proposed by the government haven't a chance of working......they are going to be very hard to police anyway.

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Whereas, fat people cost the NHS lots of money to treat and the seriously obese contribute very little to the exchequer since most of them are on benefits because they are too fat to work.

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I never said I wanted you to stop smoking. I like the fact that you are paying so much tax. I am by no means anti smoking, just anti smoke where I am. Please do not stop smoking, I do not want to pay anymore taxes. I fact smoke more, the government might be able to reduce fuel tax then. Hypocrite who? Me? Yes your right I am.

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I think you may have inadvertently advanced the best reason for giving up smoking that I have heard for quite some time.

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Ignore me A-B your smoking is good for me.

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All this gvenment is good for is meedling they find it easier than tackling real issues. They are always going to take the easy option as they are not brave enough to take on the hard stuff.:D

As is pionted out the govenment makes a lot of money from smokers but attacks them because it is PC.
The food children eat is down to the hours people work so are the govenment going to tell parents to quit work so their kids eat healthy errr no they lose what they pay in tax and would have to pay state benifits. If on benifits not everyone could afford the foods they reckon we should eat.

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I think working parents can still provide healthy food for children. It takes very little time and planning to make healthy food available.

For instance this evening I made Cottage pie with very lean minced beef....we had steamed carrots and cabbage with it and it didn't take much longer than 30 minutes to cook.

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Certainly older children can be involved in cooking healthy meals. And if the children want a burger, then again it doesn't take very long to make your own and you know that there are no nasty additives in the food.

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Prohibition did more for the sales in alcohol.....and likewise banning foods and labelling them as 'Bad' may make them seem more attractive.

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Who gets the profit and/or rent from having vending machines in schools?

Re: More Government Meddling.