A smoking ban in prisons will create a new black market for tobacco among inmates and compound problems of bullying, violence, smuggling and corruption, it was claimed today.

YOUR columnist Noel Whelan (Irish Examiner, June 23), in reviewing a proposed smoking ban in Britain, trots out all the usual anti-nicotine nonsense.

IT was interesting to read what can only be disinformation from the Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) that 80% of smokers support the ban.

THE recent report from the office of Health and Safety on injury and illness in the workplace will make interesting reading for smokers.

Frankie Dettori and Kieren Fallon are level on 155 at the top of the jockeys’ championship after both had a winner apiece at Kempton Park today.

WHILE I welcome the recent reported fall in cigarette consumption in Ireland, I still maintain that smokers only harm themselves.

I READ with interest the increasing number of letters to Irish newspapers from Americans, usually representing some anti-smoking forum and applauding our absolute ban in Ireland.

HEALTH MINISTER Micheál Martin will get first-hand experience of the operation of the smoking ban in New York next week.

MINISTER for Health Michéal Martin was advised to stick to his guns yesterday and go ahead with his ban on smoking in the workplace from the start of next year.

GROUPS tasked with implementing the smoking ban in pubs were “zealots” and “liars”, pub owners said yesterday.