Issue #782

“It is worth remembering one of the important lessons of the Buck story: a small number of zealous advocates can have an impact on the law that defies both science and conventional wisdom.”
– Paul A. Lombardo, Three Generations, No Imbeciles:
Eugenics, the Supreme Court, and Buck v. Bell

Rapid-DNA technology: The FBI Is Very Excited About This Machine That Can Scan Your DNA in 90 Minutes. Rapid-DNA technology makes it easier than ever to grab and store your genetic profile. G-men, cops, and Homeland Security can’t wait to see it everywhere. Schueren grabbed a cotton swab and dropped it into a plastic cartridge. That’s what, say, a police officer would use to wipe the inside of your cheek to collect a DNA sample after an arrest, he explained. Other bits of material with traces of DNA on them, like cigarette butts or fabric, could work too.

Program To Diminish Tobacco Use in California Is Fading: In a California Healthline report by Kenny Goldberg, experts discussed the funding conundrum of the California tobacco control program – because it has helped lower the number of smokers in the state, it gets about half the cigarette-tax funding it used to get. A new report from UC-San Francisco researchers said efforts to raise additional money have failed, in part because of increased willingness among state legislators to accept tobacco industry campaign donations.

A Truly Frightening Halloween In Our Future? But now “public health” activists seem determined to truly frighten our children by taking away that annual ritual. I call them the Food Police. From health arguments, it’s a short step to Puritanical suppression. At first, candy might seem safe from such attacks, but the experience with sugary soft drinks suggests otherwise.

UK: ‘Ban fat customers from fast food restaurants like bartenders ban drunks from bars,’ says weight loss expert. Steve Miller, presenter of Sky’s Fat Families, says shock tactics are needed to help combat the obesity epidemic. Says fast food chains should implement training for staff to help them refuse obese customers in a ‘delicate and forthright’ manner. Mr Miller said while radical at its core, his idea does not involve shaming those who are overweight.

LA: New Orleans: DRAFT OF CANTRELL’S SMOKING BAN RELEASED. New Orleans City Councilwomen LaToya Cantrell proposed an ordinance to tackle the issue in New Orleans. The proposed measure is severe elliminating smoking not only in bars, but many outdoor areas. The ordinance would ban smoking (defined to include vaping or e-cigs as well) in a large part of the city; so it might be easier to talk about where smoking wouldn’t be illegal.

Video: Queensland councils are fighting against a push to expand ‘no smoking’ zones in public spaces. Damien Hansen reports.

UK MPs are left fuming by ‘crazy’ bid to ban e-cigarettes from the House of Commons, saying it would lead to a total ban at Westminster. Many MPs were outraged calling it a perverse result of the nanny state. A Commons spokesman said a final decision had yet to be made.