Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Hypocrisy

The government of Ontario suffers from profound hypocrisy. As of yesterday, all stores selling cigarettes may no longer have them on display. Cigarettes must be hidden from view on the premise that people will smoke less if they can't see the "power wall" of cigarettes. Right! As if that will make a difference.

The government, which controls the selling and taxing of cigarettes, also controls the selling and taxing of alcohol. Several times per year, the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) sends free to every home in Ontario a glossy, tax-funded, (I'm sure expensive to produce) magazine advertising all the different brands, bottles and kinds of alcohol available at the LCBO. The LCBO even has a nice web presence paid for, undoubtedly, by the tax-payer.

How does that make sense?

Further, alcohol causes more problems in society than smoking. If you smoke, you'll kill yourself. Pretty stupid but, OK, smoke if you want.

Alcohol, although it can and may be used responsibly, wreaks a lot of havoc in society. If you get drunk, and drive, you may well kill someone else. If you are a drunk at home, you will "kill" your marriage and family.

What kind of liberal addle-brained government thinking does not allow the mom and pop grocer to advertise its cigarettes while the government run liquor store can advertise, at tax-payers expense? Only in Liberal governed provinces.