Forward
[…]it is simply not possible to promote healthier lifestyles through
Whitehall diktat and nannying about the way people should live.
[…]
2.26 There are also some activities that it makes sense to do once at national level[…] [t]his includes […] legislating to ban some types of drugs.
3.38 […]The Home Office is committed to implementing the ban on selling alcohol below cost without delay.
3.42 Public health professionals will work locally to prevent people from taking harmful drugs
3.44 Central government will sequence social marketing for public health through the life course [ed:What on earth does that mean?] so that, at each stage in a person's life, there is a meaningful and trusted voice.
Public Health white paper
It's not that I object to the broad approach of the white paper (after an initial skim through, but reserve the right to object to individual items); an increased focus on public health seems to make sense, the claim that it's going to be evidence led is good, the localism is good (in theory, I'm skeptical that it can be made to work, but hope to be surprised).
However, the tabloid rhetoric in the forward really wasn't necessary, especially when some of the policies could easily be seen as "nannying" (possibly justified and beneficial nannying, but nannying all the same). It's pure political posturing that detracts from the content of the policies.
