Unfortunately markets and sales and retail "successes" are most easily obtained through promoting "instant gratification" as opposed to deferred gratification. So shareholders benefited from the tobacco, opium, cocaine, alcohol and sugar trades in the 17th, 18th and nineteenth centuries and each trade has strong lobbyists.
I started smoking at medical school when the physiology lecturer wanted to demonstrate the effects of nicotine on the heart and respiratory systems of smokers and no smokers. I stopped about 35 years ago. I try to eat nuts instead of sweets but buy ginger biscuits, chocolate bars and wine gums sometimes. I try to swim 1200 to 1600 metres three times a week but am still a little overweight and unfit. (I spend two much time reading HIFA!!)
HIFA profile: Richard Fitton is a retired family doctor - GP. Professional interests: Health literacy, patient partnership of trust and implementation of healthcare with professionals, family and public involvement in the prevention of modern lifestyle diseases, patients using access to professional records to overcome confidentiality barriers to care, patients as part of the policing of the use of their patient data Email address: richardpeterfitton7 AT gmail.com
