According to Stuff reporter Tova O’Brien – oh and Tukuroirangi Morgan, apparently speaking for Maori – this new government coalition is going to be responsible for many thousands of deaths because of the reversal of the smokefree laws. Really? 

And how many deaths are our past governments responsible for by not banning alcohol and drugs use? Has there ever been a law enforcing the use of all these drugs? The use of every detrimental substance is the free choice only of the person affected by the drugs, and the responsibility for the ill effects can therefore only be attributed to the person who decided to use the drug. No-one else is responsible for the free choice anyone makes.

Gail Webster, Greerton.