Whilst watching the news this morning, it seems that a Scottish healthcare trust is paying smokers the not inconsiderate sum of £12.50 for every week they do not smoke. It is, i'm told, meant mainly to help poor people; though it seems to me that they can't be that poor if the can afford to smoke (perhaps the result of an over gnerous benefits sytem?)

And now it seems the NHS in Essex is going to pay obese people one pound in cash for every one pound they lose in weight.

But is this acceptable?

On the one hand of course, the argument is that it will be saving the NHS lots more money in the long run. But on the other hand, as in so many other areas of our society, people are rewarded for doing the wrong thing.