I submit two examples of this government "care" for the masses.

One, is traffic offences, whereby we are protected by limits on speeding and exceeding the prescribed limit of blood-alcohol whilst driving. These laws, while somewhat arbitrary, are a workable system to deal with wrongdoers. In general these laws are acceptable by law abiding citizens and act as deterrent to those tempted to cross the line.

Two, in contrast to this is the government thinking on poker machines.

They seem to adopt the same position as did last Labor Premier Paul Lennon when he said words to the effect that "if people wish to play poker machines (gamble), then who are we to stop them".

The Liberal party is likewise aligned with the poker machine monopoly.

My point is that government "care" for citizens only extends as far as the monetary returns,that is . you speed - you pay, you gamble - you pay us and Federal Group.

The argument that poker machine venues employ people is a valid one, but insignificant when compared to the millions of dollars ripped out of the pockets of gamblers.

Now, after a three month sabbatical, is the best opportunity to ban these things.

University of Tasmania researcher Sukhwinder Sohal tells us we should rely on his research on e-cigarette.

Well this differs from hundreds of others around the world. The UK College of Physicians have done long term studies on e-cigarettes and found them to be 95 per cent safer than tobacco products.

We are one of only two countries in the western world that have not legalised e-cigarettes as a harm reduction product.

Three hundred thousand Australian are proof of their success and all report health benefits, no cough, no wheezing.

To suggest e-liquid is a tobacco product is a false premise, and to call the vapour smoke is blatantly false also.

The hypocrisy that it is OK to have methadone if you are a heroin addict, and if you are an ice addict you can legally use an illegal substance in a government funded facility, and it's OK to sell heavily taxed tobacco products whilst knowing the health implications, but not OK for people who have not been able to kick the smoking habit to use a harm reduction product is disgraceful. The truth needs to be told on this not the scare mongering and falsehoods .

WHAT business does Eric Abetz have in telling people what they should do?

I have a family member facing an intolerable end without assisted dying so he has organised to go to Switzerland once 'the graph' indicates he is approaching being unable to travel. This means that we will lose his presence sooner than we need to and he will face an arduous trip when he could spend those few days at home.

He is grateful for the time he has had and the mind-bogglingly expensive treatment the Australian taxpayer has funded to bring him this far but effectiveness is reducing.

Please let people make their own decisions. Fight for this legislation.

WHAT a beautiful, but extremely sad, story of Karien Merx of the Netherlands (The Examiner, June 29). From excruciating pain to complete relief and everlasting peace.

Well done, The Examiner, you have successfully highlighted the soul-destroying pain associated with some hideous terminal cancers. To be permanently denied something we take for granted, breathing, associated with horrific pain is unimaginable.

Fighting for every breath.

Faced with no hope and imminent death this beautiful lady was allowed to make a well-thought-out euthanasia choice.

A choice to allow her to end her terminal diagnoses and long suffering. One can only deeply sympathize and feel for the anguish and sorrow of the family, however wrapped in the shroud of success of her choice, achieving peace for a treasured loved one.

FOR those of us living with a terminal illness and fighting for the right to have a peaceful option, we are curious as to who Tasmanian Liberal Senator Eric Abetz represents when he calls on a "cry of Christians, urging them to be political activists in the fight against proposed voluntary assisted dying laws."

Who exactly is he representing? Of the 451,000 individuals surveyed through the ABC Poll at last year's federal election, 70 per cent of supporters identified as Catholic. Let's look at who is really pulling the strings in the world of politics. Eric Abetz won't be at my bedside in the last months.

VOLUNTARY Assisted Dying is on the collective radar, and thank you for the article (The Examiner, June 29).

Mike Gaffney MLC, has personally delivered some 35 statewide public seminars to help demystify the issue, and educate us, the public. In a previous life, I was responsible for postgraduate education of young GPs in Tasmania. Two of the fundamental principles taught were those of the doctor's role as an advocate for their patient, and the patient's right to autonomy and partnership in decision making.

These principles are still front and centre to the issue of VAD. The AMA appears to hold a contrary view, and is not supportive. The AMA represents less than 40 per cent of the registered doctors in this country, and would do well to remember that community based research, by Roy Morgan, has consistently shown a rising trend in support.