There are people who cannot be vaccinated (very young, very old, those with immune deficiencies) who rely purely on herd immunity to prevent getting certain illnesses. If all the healthy people who could suffer through the flu opted-out of the vaccine, most of them would get through it just fine, but the illness would pass through the population and kill off a lot of weaker people.
Smoking obviously causes lung cancer via secondhand smoke, but it also leaves a carcinogenic and heavy metal residue on walls and floors (thirdhand smoke). Kids, especially, get sick from this from crawling around the floor. They don't have the luxury of opting-out of smoking.
What are the solutions to these public health problems that aren't heavy-handed? I'm all for freedom and voluntarism but the libertarian solution of identifying the perpetrator and bringing them to civil court falls apart when the vector from perpetrator to victim is so diffuse that you can't trace it back.
Similar problem with people engorging themselves on unhealthy junk. I have no problem when it only affects themselves, but once their obesity-related maladies start costing other people via subsidized healthcare or extra-wide ambulances and whatnot, it's no longer just an individual choice.
Smoking obviously causes lung cancer via secondhand smoke, but it also leaves a carcinogenic and heavy metal residue on walls and floors (thirdhand smoke). Kids, especially, get sick from this from crawling around the floor. They don't have the luxury of opting-out of smoking.
What are the solutions to these public health problems that aren't heavy-handed? I'm all for freedom and voluntarism but the libertarian solution of identifying the perpetrator and bringing them to civil court falls apart when the vector from perpetrator to victim is so diffuse that you can't trace it back.
Similar problem with people engorging themselves on unhealthy junk. I have no problem when it only affects themselves, but once their obesity-related maladies start costing other people via subsidized healthcare or extra-wide ambulances and whatnot, it's no longer just an individual choice.