For both tanning beds and drugs there is a significant health risk. In a society that treats health as a purely personal matter, those probably should not factor in to the question of acceptable or non-acceptable harm to others. In a society that treats health as a shared common responsibility, it does factor in because it takes up resources that could otherwise be used elsewhere.
OK, so they should ban junk food, cars, anything that produces pollution, candles, knives, and anything else that hurts people.
This might also partially explain why healthcare in the USA is the way it is: It is in conflict with the American interpretation of what freedom means.
P.S.: Not assuming you personally are American, but the ideas you expressed are in line with what you would expect from a stereotypical American about this topic.
I am an American, but your view is more in line with the American mode of thinking. America has a facade of “freedom”, but it’s always been very limited. We have a basis of puritanical ideology, that is pushed on everyone. No drugs, no gay marriage, etc. We banned alcohol once. How many nations have done that? We have one of the higher drinking ages in most places (usually 21yo, rather than the typical 18).
The American government is far more involved in making decisions for people than anyone else. They decide what’s good or bad, and then push it on you.
I can’t understand why you’d want others to make that decision for you. Yes, in a perfect world maybe it’d be OK, but we aren’t in a perfect world. They won’t always agree with you. If you push this decision to the government, they get to decide if trans healthcare is allowed, or if trans people can exist at all, or homosexuality (which has been illegal many places because it’s “harmful to society”), or whatever else they don’t like at any moment. Thinking it’ll be only what you agree with is nieve and shortsighted.
OK, so they should ban junk food, cars, anything that produces pollution, candles, knives, and anything else that hurts people.
I am an American, but your view is more in line with the American mode of thinking. America has a facade of “freedom”, but it’s always been very limited. We have a basis of puritanical ideology, that is pushed on everyone. No drugs, no gay marriage, etc. We banned alcohol once. How many nations have done that? We have one of the higher drinking ages in most places (usually 21yo, rather than the typical 18).
The American government is far more involved in making decisions for people than anyone else. They decide what’s good or bad, and then push it on you.
I can’t understand why you’d want others to make that decision for you. Yes, in a perfect world maybe it’d be OK, but we aren’t in a perfect world. They won’t always agree with you. If you push this decision to the government, they get to decide if trans healthcare is allowed, or if trans people can exist at all, or homosexuality (which has been illegal many places because it’s “harmful to society”), or whatever else they don’t like at any moment. Thinking it’ll be only what you agree with is nieve and shortsighted.