Most back the ban

PAT BROSNAN (Irish Examiner, August 15) suggests that most people, including > many non-smokers, do not want an outright ban on smoking from January 1. In fact, the last survey to be carried out on this topic showed that most people supported the proposal, including four out of every ten smokers (TNS/MRBI survey published last month showed that 67% support the proposed ban in pubs and restaurants. Support among smokers was 40%).

Pat Brosnan says that as a result of the recent ban in New York city, “business has fallen away by anything from 30% upwards. It is the only example he [the minister] has because a total ban on smoking does not exist anywhere in Europe.”

What scaremongering. There are many towns and cities, as well as states, in the US where smoking is banned. Having lived in California, one of those areas, I can assure people here that bars there do a roaring trade.

Vintners and others are constantly citing the New York city experience, all 14 weeks of it, while ignoring the experience of California, all four years, eight months of that. Would that be because, once a ban like this is established, there is nothing to complain about?

Susan Pratt,

2, Whitethorns,

Caherconlish,

Co Limerick.