Health fascism

It's quite common, at least on the blogs that I read, to hear campaigners against smoking, drinking and overeating decried as "fascists". One might have thought that this was just a little bit of name calling. Apparently not.

According to Proctor:

Nazi Germany was ... decades ahead of other countries in promoting health reforms that we today regard as progressive and socially responsible... the Nazis conducted the most aggressive antismoking campaign in modern history... Hitler's government passed a wide range of public health measures, including restrictions on asbestos, radiation, pesticides, and food dyes. Nazi health officials introduced strict occupational health and safety standards, and promoted such foods as whole-grain bread and soybeans. These policies went hand in hand with health propaganda that, for example, idealized the Führer's body and his nonsmoking, vegetarian lifestyle.

Ah yes, a non-smoking vegetarian. Now it all makes sense.