Sir, – It is true that the prevalence of smoking has not fallen since 2004 when the public ban on smoking was introduced in Ireland. You say that it is important that government should tackle lifestyle issues such as smoking in a more integrated and nuanced manner. But government has done a lot to control cigarette smoking, public education has been comprehensive and the medical professions and their organisations have been pro-active on the issue.
Smokers have been well warned about the health consequences of cigarette smoking. Surely we should be allowed to smoke as long as we do not bring harm to others? We may be a dysfunctional democracy, as implied in your first leader today, but we should at least eschew the nanny state. – Yours, etc,