Be kind to old nicotine addicts

LAST week I spent three enjoyable days in the company of my 74-year-old uncle from Wexford.

Ministers McCreevy and Martin, beware... he's a vexed man. While he would freely admit to past excesses, his alcohol consumption has now ceased and food intake is monitored.

But he was the picture of contentment as he sucked on his dreadful weed. While there is no doubt that cigarettes seriously damage health and kill people, Jim like other pensioners I have talked to is beyond heeding lectures about the ill effects of his addiction.

I would appeal to the Minister in the forthcoming budget to bear this in mind.

By all means increase the tax on cigarettes, but consider some sort of allowance to that generation now beyond redemption who helped build up this country.

Jim Jackman,

16 Park Drive Court,

Castleknock,

Dublin 15