This is how politicians actually think, in a country like Australia.
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...7aba1fef95724f
Smokers could be made to buy cigarettes with a prescription or at a pharmacy, in an ambitious new plan to wipe out smoking in Australia almost entirely. And here we have yet another example of the government control and social engineering practiced in Australia.
Currently, Australians are paying the equivalent of $25 USD per pack, due to the intentionally high taxes designed to discourage smoking.
Clearly the Australian government uses taxes as a means of social engineering.
Another plan in the works calls for raising the taxes so high that Australians would have had to pay AU$ 48.50 per back of cigarettes, equivalent to $34.50 US dollars.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...pack-year.html
Since the Australian government heavily subsidizes its healthcare system, the Australian mentality is that government has the right to force people to be healthy, because if they don't it will end up costing the government.