Gentlemen, you may now not smoke

Smoking bans are one of those things where the FA heart rebels against his head (lungs? Ed).

Y'see on the one hand I believe that the Gummint should back off and get out of people's lives at every possible opportunity. Therefore smoking should be left to the individual and the market to control. Thus speaks the heart.

The head however rather likes drinking in Ireland where there is a long standing - and v popular - smoking ban. Here it must be said that one can go out for a beer or 10 and not come home reeking of smoke, without a rheumy wheeze or sore eye, and sans a tickly cough. Hurrah says the head.

Jolly difficult. My policy to date has been to protest my libertarian ideals whilst secretly enjoying the tyranny of the majority. Who says you can't have your cake and eat it?

PS - I am told, though I can't say I noticed, that the smell in Irish pubs did get worse when the veneer of tobacco smoke was removed. Blame that on the Guiness.