Not our smokers

Ban ‘helping smokers to give up’:

Health Minister Andy Kerr said: “Initial findings suggest that the ban has encouraged people to give up smoking, with the number of people contacting cessation support services increasing in the run-up to the ban’s introduction.

“Although it is too early to know exactly what the health and economic impact of the ban has been, we are already beginning to reap the health benefits.

“The ban is working extremely well. More people have come forward to smoking cessation services. We are continuing to be creative in how we support smokers. We are not out to get them, we are out to help them.”

Trust Neil and I to live with the most unapologetic, defiant smokers in the country, who won’t stop even with diagnosis of serious, irreversible smoking-related health problems. Because The Laser is the panacea. Knowing our luck, we — as passive smokers — will be the ones to get the nasty cancers.

• 26 Mar 2007