Unintended effects of the smoking ban

PROFESSOR Luke Clancy of anti-smoking group ASH says: “While the Government was making some efforts to curb tobacco use, they’re not doing enough” (Irish Examiner Letters, March 3).

But the same Luke Clancy is perhaps the main reason the smoking ban was introduced. Before the ban, cigarette sales were falling naturally. Since its inception, Gallaher, PJ Carroll and other tobacco companies have reported their sales on the rise again. Due to his political lobbying to increase the price of cigarettes, smuggling is at an all-time high and now, smoking has become a cool thing to do because of the incessant advertising of groups like ASH.

Prof. Luke’s actions have closed hundreds of pubs and they are being replaced with off-licences at every twist and turn.

His crusade against smokers is a failed piece of social engineering that has driven up smoking rates, closed businesses and made unsupervised home drinking the modern norm.

Perhaps the same Government might now look more closely at the funds it provides the professor and his organisation to wage their campaign against over a million voting Irish smokers.

John Mallon

5 Shamrock Grove

Mayfield

Cork.