Empowering individuals with the ability to determine their own destiny without the interference of governing powers is fundamental to any free society. In that respect, a government governs best when it allows its own citizens to be the true sovereigns of their own health and happiness. Realizing the full value of personal sovereignty requires a broader conception of both rights and responsibility: on one hand, the citizen’s natural right to be the controller of their own health, happiness and nutrition; and on the other hand, the same citizen’s responsibility to make informed decisions based on care, truth, and diligence in ways that guide their actions and choices. Personal sovereignty begins at one's skin, but the significance of threats to personal sovereignty extends far beyond that. Calls to intrude on personal sovereignty “for your own good” or “for the greater good” create a slippery slope to tyranny and must be resisted. The highest levels of collective health and happiness result from the sum of the choices of empowered individuals exercising free will, and reflect governing values based on generosity, tolerance, and kindness rather than on arrogance, presumption, and fear.
