Britain is trying to get it's citizens to quit smoking and is taking extreme measures to accomplish that. Recent reports state that in addition to a total ban on smoking in public places, smokers will not be allowed to adopt children under the age of five and will be refused surgery.

My first reaction was a hearty nod in agreement. Yes, it is proven that smoking can damage young lungs. By keeping young children out of homes where they will be exposed to tobacco, England will see a decline in asthma and allergies. It is also proven that smokers have a longer recovery time after surgery than non-smokers. Smokers are also susceptible to more infections after surgery, so waiting until someone has quit, before performing an operation, will save health care dollars.

Then I remembered the movie Demolition Man. It is a Sylvester Stallone movie about a cop who is cryogenically frozen, only to be woken up in 2032. Everything is very peaceful and lovely and the citizens are all happy. Or are they? The government tells them what to eat .Salt is bad. The government tells them how to procreate. Sex is bad. The government tells them what they can say. Swearing is bad. The government tells them what they can do with their own bodies. Smoking is bad. Oh, no, wait. That last one is the British government in 2007...