Dan Jones - Deluded, But Still Resolute...

One of the biggest recent successes in public health has been against smoking. Punitive taxes on tobacco, better education about the health effects, a near-total ban on advertising and the marginalisation of smoking in public places seems to have worked.

'Seems to have', Dan? Either it's worked, or it hasn't. And if it's worked, why are they keeping up the pressure?

But no matter! Appearance is everything, so, onwards!

Food presents a more difficult problem: unlike tobacco, we need food to live. But trans-fats, salt and sugar are all identifiable ingredients that can be taxed and banned. It’s disagreeable to argue that government should interfere in the contents of our stomachs, but as this January will show — like every New Year before it — we are as a nation incapable of slimming on our own. We need help, before we literally choke on our own jowls.

It doesn't seem to be true, but no matter!

Slippery slope? What slippery slope?