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JACOB: Smoking ban leaves any compromise out in cold  

I'm sitting in a bar in Warsaw, drinking a coffee, reading newspapers on line and smoking cigarettes. And I can tell you one thing for nothing -- it's a beautiful thing not to be treated like a flea-ridden pariah. . . .

We are all aware of the dangers of smoking, so in a truly civilised society the fairest answer would surely be this -- allow the people who own the pubs and restaurants the freedom to run their businesses as they choose, smoking or non, bearing in mind that cigarettes are still legal in this country. Then allow the public the freedom to choose whether they want to patronise smoking or non-smoking establishments. Finally allow individuals to decide whether they want to work in smoking environments or not. Who loses? No one. That, my friends, is what you call freedom of choice. . . .

Whether we care to admit it or not, it is also discouraging tourism. I come across an article on goireland.about.com entitled Irish Tourism Figures Show Slight Slump in US Visitor Numbers. Nowhere does this article even begin to suggest that the smoking ban is a reason for this 'slight slump' and yet the solitary comment underneath reads:

"I used to visit Ireland on a regular basis. But since the smoking ban I decided it was now off my list of places to visit. I don't visit where I'm not wanted"-- Susan.

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