It's 10 years since smoking in pubs and enclosed public places was banned in Britain. Since then, smoking rates have dropped to the lowest ever recorded. Only 19% of the adult population are smokers and 83% of the nation support smoke-free legislation.
When I was a youngster, cinemas had a low level nicotine cloud hanging between stalls and circle during every performance. The picture on the silver screen was more in sepia than black and white or technicolour.
It was taken for granted you entered a pub through a killer haze, which every tobacco addict inhaled with delight and every non-smoker put up with. I once commented to a landlord that I liked the cream colour he had painted the ceiling.
"Great improvement on that dark brown," I said.
"We haven't had it painted," he said. "Just washed the nicotine off."
In those days, cigarettes were advertised as being healthy, sporting or as a sign of sophistication. Everybody did it.
I was never a proper smoker because I couldn't inhale, although I tried and failed to learn, in those heady days of the Swinging 60s, when the clouds exhaled were of peace and love and herbal extras. Mind you, the herbal cakes were nice.
So, totally by accident and good fortune, I was never hooked on one of the easiest available deadly drugs known to man.
My wife Maria was not so lucky. She started smoking as a schoolgirl and tried to give up dozens of times over the years. But nicotine is as addictive as heroin. The smoking ban vitally helped her cut down and she finally kicked the habit altogether with the help of an e-cig and vaping.
It's amazing that it's only 10 years since pubs kicked it into touch or, more precisely, to an outside area, and I applaud the success of the ban, although I'm sure there will be those of a different opinion. For me, the inconvenience of the minority is worth it for the majority to be able to chat, socialise, have a meal, a coffee or a beer in a smoke free environment.
Sir Harpul Kumar of Cancer Research UK said: "As well as protecting people from the deadly effects of passive smoking, we've seen big changes in public attitudes towards smoking. It's now far less socially acceptable and we hope this means fewer young people will fall into such a potentially lethal addiction."
When I was a youngster, cinemas had a low level nicotine cloud hanging between stalls and circle during every performance. The picture on the silver screen was more in sepia than black and white or technicolour.
It was taken for granted you entered a pub through a killer haze, which every tobacco addict inhaled with delight and every non-smoker put up with. I once commented to a landlord that I liked the cream colour he had painted the ceiling.
"Great improvement on that dark brown," I said.
"We haven't had it painted," he said. "Just washed the nicotine off."
In those days, cigarettes were advertised as being healthy, sporting or as a sign of sophistication. Everybody did it.
I was never a proper smoker because I couldn't inhale, although I tried and failed to learn, in those heady days of the Swinging 60s, when the clouds exhaled were of peace and love and herbal extras. Mind you, the herbal cakes were nice.
So, totally by accident and good fortune, I was never hooked on one of the easiest available deadly drugs known to man.
My wife Maria was not so lucky. She started smoking as a schoolgirl and tried to give up dozens of times over the years. But nicotine is as addictive as heroin. The smoking ban vitally helped her cut down and she finally kicked the habit altogether with the help of an e-cig and vaping.
It's amazing that it's only 10 years since pubs kicked it into touch or, more precisely, to an outside area, and I applaud the success of the ban, although I'm sure there will be those of a different opinion. For me, the inconvenience of the minority is worth it for the majority to be able to chat, socialise, have a meal, a coffee or a beer in a smoke free environment.
Sir Harpul Kumar of Cancer Research UK said: "As well as protecting people from the deadly effects of passive smoking, we've seen big changes in public attitudes towards smoking. It's now far less socially acceptable and we hope this means fewer young people will fall into such a potentially lethal addiction."
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