Video | Intermediate Resource

Topic
That we should ban smoking

Breakdown
Actor - We (the federal government)
Instrument - Ban (pass a law to make illegal)
Subject - Smoking (all tobacco related products)

Reasonable basis statement
Both teams want the best outcomes for Australia and its citizens - taking into account health, economics and broad principles such as individual rights

What to prove - Affirmative
— Why the government has a responsibility to ban smoking
— How a ban is the best social policy for harm minimisation
— How a ban is the best policy for minimising harms to the individual

What to prove – Negative
— Why governments do not have the right to ban smoking
— How a ban is an ineffective policy for harm minimisation in comparison to the status quo
— How a ban on smoking leads to worse social and economic outcomes

Common mistakes
— A focus on why cancer/other health effects are bad
— Too much of a focus on the environmental impact of smoking
— A focus on why smoking has benefits to individuals (on the negative side)

Conclusion
— Great debate for teaching the concepts of black markets - we use it at Consensus!
— Good for determining the role of government
— Ties in nicely with the health curriculum and is most appropriate for 7 to 10.

Banning Smoking