They've finally done it. They've banned menthols.

It's already next-to-impossible to be a smoker in Ontario, what with the bans of smoking in public places (including beaches, markets, parks, etc.), workplaces, within ~9m of doors, within 20m of playgrounds or sports fields, in vehicles with minors (under 16), on patios, on municipal property, the ban of retail displays, the ~14c of tax of every cigarette, the anti-smoking messages that cover every pack, the anti-smoking leaflets in every pack, and much, much more. But now even menthols have been banned.

Personally I don't smoke menthols, but - in my opinion - they've gone too far. They've even thrown vaping under the same bus, blocking sales to anyone under 19 and banning retail displays.

I just...I don't get it. They aren't banning fruity alcohol, they aren't banning toys in junk food targeted at kids, they're just going after smokers like it's open season. Now, I know that smoking is unhealthy (nobody's claiming otherwise), but...I just don't have words. It's nanny state in overdrive.

We already know it's bad. I'm honestly expecting there to be an outright ban on cigarettes soon (which - given people's reaction to the bans so far - will be applauded). But what comes next? Clearly the government knows what's best for us, so they'll ban alcohol next, right? Then junk food? Car exhaust? Maybe they'll put a limit on how much time we can spend in the Sun? The main issue I take with this isn't that it's a "war on smokers" per se, it's just the government abusing their powers. Something needs to be done to stop them (frankly something should have been done a long time ago), or else they're going to target another industry, and another, and just keep going in the name of "the children".

/rant