It's OK, Kevin. I did realise - Just couldn't resist taking the same argument to a ridiculous conclusion. And I do agree about the cities. I would dearly love the whole transport system to be overhauled so there was less traffic everywhere - but it is not going to happen overnight.

It is futile to try and group smoking in with the nightmare of global polution. We might as well say there is no point arresting thieves while there is global theft taking place amongst the worldwide businesses or that we should not imprison murders until war is dealt with.

The big issues will be be dealt with (hopefuly!) but lets start where we can. Large oaks, small acorns eh?

Incidentaly the Guardian article which started this train of thought was based on statistics commisioned by Calor, who make LPG. Now does that give an indication of why the statistics are so against the petrol engine???

If we read a bit further on we find that "A pedestrian hanging about in Marylebone Road in London would draw in the pollutants of one cigarette from the ambient air in 48 minutes. In Oxford it would take just 24 minutes." So, to take in the equivalent of 60 cigarettes our pedestrian would need to hang around the high street in Oxford for a full 24 hours. What was it about lies, damned lies and statistics?

I cannot give any scientific evidence of this but my body tells me that I can walk around Manchester and Salford all day with no apparant ill effects. But if I sit next to smokers in our folk club for an hour I start to wheeze, my eyes go red and mu nose streams. If I wait another 30 minutes I need my inhalor. If I don't have my inhalor I could die. Yet I am still not totaly anti-smoking in pubs.

Just please, please, please give me somewhere where I can walk to and enjoy a pint without staring death in the face and don't try to cloud (pun intended) the issues with irrelevancies.

Cheers

DtG