Smokers’ campaign group, Forest (Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco), condemns this as ‘pure nonsense’.
The group claims there was ‘much exaggeration and misuse of statistics' around the effects of passive smoking for campaign and political purposes’.
Spokesperson Angela Harbutt says: "Much of what has been said about second-hand smoke is hysterical exaggeration, designed to create fear and loathing of smoking and smokers."
She adds: "This kind of campaigning propaganda does little to advance the cause of public health and has contributed significantly to the public's growing mistrust of ‘medical research’."
Harbutt explains that the more dictatorial the authorities become about where people can and cannot smoke, the more militant smokers are.
"That is not a good thing, but an inevitable consequence of disproportionate and aggressive policies towards smokers," she says.
"Smokers, as with non-smokers, simply wish to live in a tolerant civil society where people respect one another's choices and are considerate to those around them, when exercising those choices. We ask all adults to show tolerance, consideration and a large dash of common sense when smoking around others."
Unfortunately, that's, as it seems, what our 'civiliized' society is heading to.
