Absolutely fantastic blog. You write so eloquently, a gift I don't possess. There are so many paragraphs that those who smoke or who have smoked can relate to. The ongoing punishment and isolation of those who smoke, which now includes those who use vastly less risky forms of nicotine, is beyond dehumanizing; it is punishment for not acting the way someone else determines to be "wholesome." Another superb blog that brings the reader into deep thought and reflection.
Thank you, Jackie. Your words mean more than I can say.
What you’ve touched on goes to the heart of the matter: the moralisation of health, and the quiet violence it can inflict. When society frames personal choices, especially those tied to nicotine, not just as risks, but as moral failings, the result is often exclusion disguised as care. For many, the shift from smoking to safer alternatives is an act of resilience; yet it’s met not with support, but with a continued sense of guilt, shame, and surveillance.
This isn’t about public health alone: it’s about autonomy, dignity, and the right to be human in all our contradictions. I'm truly grateful that the text resonated with you, and even more so that it sparked reflection. That, in the end, is the purpose of writing like this: not to offer answers, but to open space for thought.
Absolutely fantastic blog. You write so eloquently, a gift I don't possess. There are so many paragraphs that those who smoke or who have smoked can relate to. The ongoing punishment and isolation of those who smoke, which now includes those who use vastly less risky forms of nicotine, is beyond dehumanizing; it is punishment for not acting the way someone else determines to be "wholesome." Another superb blog that brings the reader into deep thought and reflection.
Thank you, Jackie. Your words mean more than I can say.
What you’ve touched on goes to the heart of the matter: the moralisation of health, and the quiet violence it can inflict. When society frames personal choices, especially those tied to nicotine, not just as risks, but as moral failings, the result is often exclusion disguised as care. For many, the shift from smoking to safer alternatives is an act of resilience; yet it’s met not with support, but with a continued sense of guilt, shame, and surveillance.
This isn’t about public health alone: it’s about autonomy, dignity, and the right to be human in all our contradictions. I'm truly grateful that the text resonated with you, and even more so that it sparked reflection. That, in the end, is the purpose of writing like this: not to offer answers, but to open space for thought.
Thank you again. Deeply.