In response to Stephen McGinty, Hitler's strong opposition to tobacco and alcohol has very little to do with our current health laws in Scotland.

He fails to give a convincing reason for exempting normal workplaces from this legislation, which is designed to remove a toxic and carcinogenic substance. He also fails to convince with his call to uphold the importance of liberty. Exactly whose liberty is at stake here? Surely the right to breathe air takes pre-eminence over the right to smoke in enclosed spaces.

And weighing up the "artistic liberty" of a puffed up actor against the health of an asthmatic stagehand, I am convinced Scotland made the right decision in adopting clear, unambiguous legislation. We took a rational position based on robust evidence. I hope England, Wales and Northern Ireland have the courage to do the same.

MAUREEN MOORE, Chief executive, ASH Scotland, Frederick Street, Edinburgh

I Ignored the details in favour of a rant(and feel lots better)

The short reply to Maureen Moore could simply be for all smokers and friends of smokers to read the conceited report printed in the Guardian http://society.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1823348,00.html “Campaigning of this kind is literally a confidence trick”.
For over 30 years ASH has planned this assault on tobacco; not the people just the tobacco so we’re told.
Fair enough but there is a majority of people (the Office of National Statistics has now told the truth - 67%) in the UK who, despite her claims of 71% in favour, do not want this ban.
We all work and invest in our futures but she has been well paid by government to attack what she hates. ASH has ignored what the people want or need. They have ignored the people and their opinion. Their 100% elimination of a substance that maybe/might/could cause problems is at the expense of the people, their way of life, their recreation and their traditions.
Maybe there weren’t enough smoke-free pubs but did she invest her money in one? NO
Did she open a smoke-free Bingo Hall? NO
Did she put her money where her mouth was? NO
The air is smoke-free in 5 Bingo clubs – They’re shut!

Smokers, non-smokers and business people are the victims of the minority of anti-smokers.
“THE prospect of thousands of pub and restaurant workers losing their jobs will not deflect the Scottish Executive from introducing a ban on smoking in public places, the First Minister said yesterday” (The Scotsman 10 Oct 2004) and Andy Kerr said: "We are not running Government by opinion poll (The Scotsman– Jan 13 2005) In other words we, the people don’t fit into their ‘new’ Scotland ---- TOUGH.
ASH has publicised smoking, displayed it on every street corner, pushed it back into the home and promoted smoking as an exciting and pleasurable activity. The tobacco manufacturers could not have wished for a better advert! No wonder smoking rates are rising in Ireland.
No smoker wants that.
Get it back out of sight into the pub where it belongs.

Join the fight at http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/nearlydone