3. Prohibition
The members of the outer party and the proles in 1984 lacked very basic human rights, including the right to put whatever substances they choose in their own bodies. These restrictions went to the extremes of regulating chocolate and alcohol for anyone but the upper party members. Only poor quality “Victory” cigarettes and gin were available to those outside of the Inner Party.
Today, similar restrictions exist due to the war on drugs banning scores of substances and copious regulations by the FDA preventing people from choosing their own medicine. Harmless drugs like Marijuana are prohibited to even posses.
However, Americans are also losing their rights to enjoy substances the previously did. Drugs like tobacco and it’s e-liquid substitutes face harsh new regulations that could make them too expensive to purchase regularly. Hawaii was the first state to prohibit tobacco for anyone under the age of 21, and a similar law is being considered in several other states. This mirror’s the same totalitarian rules The Party imposed in 1984 that prevented people the basic freedoms of autonomy and self ownership.
