[Nor]

fireman you've got a good argument, but its got a major flaw. It exists on the basis that we should never tackle one problem because there are other problems.

Of course alcohol causes a major strain on the NHS. The number of deaths from alcohol fair outweigh the deaths from any illegal drugs for example. But it doesn't alter the fact that smoking kills. It doesn't alter the fact that hundreds of non smokers die each year through passive smoking.

I'm all for tackling all the ills of society but please don't use the argument that we just have to live with the problems of smoking because there are other things which cause death aswell.

The simple fact of the matter is, passive smoking kills people. So we shouldn't allow people to smoke in public places where they are killing others through their uncessary habit. If smokers want to smoke, fine, it should be their free choice to smoke even if its bad for them. But since its bad for those around them too they should be forced to go out of their way to enjoy their habit, non smokers shouldn't have to go out their way to accomodate their addiction, ala the golf club example.