We all acknowledge the need for societies to prevent murder, rape, theft, fraud, pollution, etc. but should society also prevent people from harming themselves through things like drugs, prostitution, recreational sex, unhealthy food, smoking, wacky religious beliefs, being uneducated, etc. A government is an agency of the state that does its mandate as provided for in its constitution. The constitution of a state being the general will of the people, it is enforce through its laws for the benefit of its members.