think back to when you were a JW (if u were ever one in the past). Would a gov ban have made u accept a blood transfusion had u needed one?
Not after I had been indoctrinated from birth.
But without the Watchtower indoctrination and false information, I most likely would have accepted blood like any other person (including almost all Christians)
How many JW would refuse blood without being told to do so by Watchtower Inc.? Without being pressured by elders and Hospital Contact Gestapo Committees? Without fear of being shunned by all friends and family?
My guess: almost none.
Just like nowadays almost no JW would refuse an organ transplant on religious reasons, but some decades ago almost all of them would have...because Watchtower told them so.
There is a big difference between an individual's conscience and rules and policies put in place by an organization.
Already some JW are secretly accepting blood when needed. Guess what would happen if tomorrow the GB tells all JW that 'God prefers you to stay alive to preach, so please accept blood when needed'. Most would quickly follow that instruction. Apparently their refusing blood has less to do with their conscience, and more with mindless obedience to Watchtower.
Through Watchtower Inc., the GB tells JW what to do, to their disadvantage. If a government wants to stop an organization/legal entity to issue instructions, it's fully within their rights.
And if individual people want to refuse blood transfusions, they're still free to do so.