A chara, – The anti-smoking legislation being introduced in Tasmania that Robert Carty mentions sounds very interesting (December 21st). A rolling ban prohibiting "the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after the year 2000" in an effort to create a "tobacco-free generation" seems quite sensible. After all, tobacco is one of the few products on the market that if used as intended is guaranteed seriously to damage the health of the user and cause the death of a very significant percentage of them.
Addictive, dangerous and potentially lethal, tobacco is, as is so often said, something that if it were being brought to the market today simply would not be considered as suitable for public sale. So introducing a firewall to try and protect a generation that has yet to be exposed to its all-too-fatal charms, while not without its difficulties, is nonetheless an experiment worth trying.
Vested interests will, of course, complain. Perhaps they will whine about the nanny state and people being given a choice. We don’t listen to such nonsense when it comes to heroin and other dangerous substances and we shouldn’t listen to it when it comes to smoking. It is an idea that if introduced here will save lives. So well done to Mr Carty for letting us know about it. – Is mise,
Rev PATRICK G BURKE,
Castlecomer,
Co Kilkenny.