QUOTE(Alaska Darin @ Nov 22 2004, 07:38 PM)
No we don't. We just need to start repealing laws that keep stupid people safe from themselves. Like seat belts and bike helmets. When I was a kid, stupid people and their children were far more likely to be a victim of their own mental shortcomings.
All hail the good ol' days.
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If not wearning seat belts and not wearing motorcycle helmets only effected the people not doing it, then it would be a personal privacy issue. Unfortunately, there are costs and other people's lives potentially at stake when responding to accidents involving someone not wearing seatbelts or helmets. It is a can of worms. If someone can say that the cost would not effect me and they can say no paramedic will be hurt responding to a more serious accident, then we might be able to say these issues are truly isolated to those people not wearing seatbelts or helmets.
The "5 whys !!!" - Why do we have to wear seatbelts?", "Why do costs to others rise when someone not wearing a seatbelt is hurt?", "Why do hospitals have to cover the difference when an individual's insurance does not cover the cost?", "Why do hospitals have to charge so much?", "Why are hospitals insurance rates so high?", etc.
Ditto for people smoking dope !!! There are consequences to people other than that one who smoked dope which makes it my business!