In principle, a person should be free to do something others disapprove of, for example body piercing. Today's pluralistic, individualistic society makes it difficult to draw clear lines as to what is socially acceptable and what is not. According to the tenets of classic liberalism, the state's main concern is to ensure that citizens do not breach the rights of other citizens. But the state is not a moral educator. Addicts themselves are responsible for the harm done to themselves.
Social liberalism holds that the state's main task is to prevent citizens from harming each other.
A moderate form of state paternalism is thus desirable in order to prevent people from becoming trapped in problems which hinder that realization. Paternalism is a philosophy that contends the state is charged with fighting any form of harm that potentially threatens an individual or society in general. In most western societies restoring the autonomy of an addict is regarded as a valuable thing. The addicts, however, are supposed to decide autonomously to seek help for restoring their autonomy. This ambient situation can be solved by introducing the principle of mercifulness that demands intervention when addicts start to lose their autonomy and, therefore, their human dignity.