After over 20 years of working in smoky folk clubs I developed asthma. Now one cigar can close my throat, also candles on tables or cigarettes and perfumes. I began requesting no smoking at my gigs and found I lost work and suffered abuse for my request. I remember one internet thread where a guy posted about a gig I had done in the North East of England at his folk club. He said I went round putting up posters demanding non-smoking (actually the posters read "For medical reasons the artist politely requests no smoking") and that his wife smoked even more that night in protest. This was some years ago. Now all my gigs are non-smoking because most folk clubs operate that policy. One club posted that after my night the committee met and decided it was so much nicer that they would make no smoking club policy. Next August all gigs will be smoke free by law. It's been a long battle and at a cost to me, and other artists with similar problems, but it's a battle good as won, and I'm glad for those young performers who will be working in smoke free environments in the future.