By Dr. Niaz Murtaza Liberal states aim to maximize personal freedom, restricting it only in cases where personal actions harm self or others. People are generally given greater license to harm themselves than others. In general, liberal states only restrict those actions which result in clear and immediate physical harm to self.  So, suicide is banned. Persons who harm themselves physically repeatedly even without causing fatal injuries will likely be institutionalized. However, smoking, which causes clear but not immediate personal physical harm, is only banned in public places where it harms others.  Liberal states generally deal with the lower level of self-harm caused by smoking not through bans but through awareness-raising among smokers. On the other hand, all actions that cause clear physical, economic and psychological harm to others or restrict … Read entire article »