PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Doctors Stressed Out By Lifestyle Paperwork

"Doctors, already complaining of stress and not enough time for the actual treatment of patients, are now being overwhelmed by more demands for bureaucratic paper shuffling," says Joy Faulkner, Libertarianz Spokesman on Tobacco and Alcohol Deregulation. The Health Nazi's on high now force GPs to fill out yet another form - in triplicate of course - asking all patients whether or not they smoke.

"Why is smoking singled out," asks Faulkner, "when many other lifestyle choices cause health problems, such as alcohol, bad diet, illegal drugs, even prescription medicine - the health system itself can be hazardous, as a lot of news items have shown of late. Why, is my risk frowned on, yet I am expected to pay for the risks others take?"

Doctors are being asked to cajole smokers to quit, even if the patient is there for an unrelated problem. "This makes my blood really boil," snaps Faulkner. "I rarely get sick, and I and many others delay going to the doctor because they are sick of being grilled on a lifestyle choice."

"This discriminatory attack on my lifestyle choice really makes me spit," she growls.

ENDS

For more information contact:

Joy Faulkner
LIBERTARIANZ SPOKESMAN FOR DEREGULATION TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL
Phone: (09) 268 4251, Fax: (09) 268 4250
Or contact Libertarianz Media Coordinator on (025) 861 927,e-mail: organon@ihug.co.nz

* LIBERTARIANZ * More Freedom * Less Government * www.libertarianz.org.nz