When Is A Precedent Not A Precedent?

Why, when people who lie for a living say so, of course.

Back in 2007, ASH produced one of the most laughable public relations briefings of all time. Entitled Myths and Realities of Smokefree England, I think Snowdon described it best.

Myths and Realities of Smokefree England already has the makings of a fascinating historical document. With one or two possible exceptions that can be argued over, all of the so-called 'myths' have turned out to be true and all of ASH's 'realities' have turned out to be myths. And it took less than 3 years.

Now, I've pointed out a few glaring errors myself over the years, they're not hard to spot. Sadly, no-one in government - who pay this 'charity', remember - have bothered to pull them up on any of it.

So I suppose it's not too surprising when you see more state-funded fantasy being put forward to defend plain packaging of tobacco. Incredibly, they've produced another load of 'myths' which - if the last lot are to be taken as a guide - will be proven to be true as soon as our daft politicians have been stupid enough to pass the law.

In fact, myth #7 is already busted before they have even started. I mean, just have a gander at this bollocks!

Myth #7: It may be tobacco today but other consumer products will follow

FACT: Tobacco is not like any other product, it is the only legal consumer product on the market which is lethal when used as intended. That is why the UK and over 170 other governments have signed up to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which places legal obligations on governments to strictly regulate tobacco products. Plain packs for tobacco will not therefore set a precedent for other consumer products.

Pick yourself off the floor and stop holding your sides, because they really aren't joking. Seriously, they believe this shit.

Quite apart from the fact that I could point to a hundred or more articles here detailing the tobacco control template being put to use in other areas, I don't really need to. There was a perfect example published just yesterday at the Lancet.

The battle against obesity: lessons from tobacco

There are striking parallels between obesity and cigarette smoking; we believe this comparison to be fruitful;

As in, err, let's use it as a precedent. If you can read something else into that, I'd love to see into your imagination cos it probably involves unicorns, fairies and Holly Willoughby.

Those with a vested interest in denying you your free personal choices in all manner of different behaviours have been queueing up to copy anti-smoking tactics for a long time. I'm sure you could post links to very many examples yourselves, it's not like they're rare.

Not only that. Anti-smoking zealots themselves seem to have forgotten that they have held summits with fellow fun-hating bastards to train them how to further diminish your life.

Alcohol Focus Scotland, ASH Scotland and Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems are pleased to announce a joint conference which will consider what progress has been made in alcohol control and tobacco control and explore what each sector might learn from the other.

So 'unique' is tobacco that the same people who are denying a precedent have been trading on creating one for the past year or so.

Myth #7 was not only busted before the Smokefree Coalition published their briefing paper, it was also busted by the very same people who helped to produce the lie in the first place.

All the other 'myths' will be shown to be true in time, but it's quite harrowing that politicians will be incapable of recognising that. And that they won't even notice that one of them is not only not a myth, but is being touted as a precedent by those who claim that such a thing will never exist.

Welcome to the new politics. Your sky is blue, theirs is purple with pink spots.