This short note offers a few comments on the interesting paper ‘Responsibility, Prudence and Health Promotion’ by Brown, Maslen and Savulescu. We agree that the development of NCDs is powerfully influenced by social and environmental forces beyond an individual’s direct control. Thus, undue emphasis on individuals ‘taking responsibility’ for making healthy choices is unethical, sometimes stigmatizing and always unscientific. It ignores the complexity of NCD causation and promotes ineffective and inequitable NCD prevention strategies. An emphasis on ‘personal responsibility’ is also a well-recognized distraction tactic used by supporters of harmful commodity industries such as tobacco, alcohol and junk food.1 Conversely, effective and successful strategies such as tobacco control comprehensively address the ‘3As’ of affordability, acceptability and availability.