It depends?

AFAIK healthcare in UK is tax funded, and smoking with its long list of damages to the body, takes a portion of that taxpayer money which could be used on something underfunded, like mental healthcare.

This is the country that legislates butter knives and naughty words.

Americans want to legislate bathrooms.

You can still get addicted to nicotine, they're just banning a very specific delivery mechanism.

Including for heroin or other hard drugs?

In the US I tend to agree (given the current pay to live system is constructed) but in the UK with single payer insurance this seems more palatable.

I’m curious if a “free society / libertarian” middle ground would be limiting access to NHS for those that choose to continue to use known harmful substances. I’d posit that many would object to that the way “death panels” were politicized when the Affordable Healthcare Act was passed though.

Do you live in the United Kingdom?

I look at it, not as legislating people's habits, more as a private company wants to sell these things in our country, but there is a clear, measurable negative effect on society as a result (and in the case of cigarettes there is no positive effect whatsoever that may offset the negative).

I would call that an easy ban. You can't sell that shit here legitimately. I'm a little surprised the attempts haven't been more widespread.

I wonder what possible gap there is for things that can be illegal to sell, but you can buy them from international sellers and use them in the privacy of your own home? (and health insurance won't cover related complications).