I see your point tnt. The powers that be should stop interfering in peoples' lives, but this anti-smacking thing was brought in, in good faith I believe. It's just gone over the top.
I don't smack my own children, but they've had taps on the hands, for instance, if they've repeatedly tried to touch anything dangerous, such as the oven. Some people can't control their tempers, and that's when the real probs arise, like recently, when that poor baby had its spine snapped, plus other terrible injuries. The story really upset me, and people like the guy who did it, should be strung up.