Tomorrow heralds a smoke free future - and even though I have failed to collect a bet I feel vindicated. Let me explain. About six or seven years ago I got into a heated debate about the perils of smoking and the dangers of secondary smoke with a pal of mine. We were standing in the smoke filled bar of the Pheasant pub and I put forward an argument that the day would come when it would be illegal to smoke in pubs.
I was rounded on by the all those present. 'They wouldn't dare' - 'It wouldn't work' - 'How would they enforce it?' - 'You're talking rubbish etc.'. And my mate asked me to put my money where my mouth was. So I bet him that within five years it would be illegal to smoke in pubs.
Well, I got the timescale wrong but I think I've won the moral argument. My friend has won his fiver but he's not gloating. He's amazed at how quickly public opinion has changed because at the time we made our wager it was inconceivable that a public ban on smoking would work.
I think it shows that we should never underestimate the speed at which the public mood can change. Just look, for example, at Iraq, global warming and recycling. Anyone in politics should remember this.
And as for the smoking ban - three cheers! I shall go to one of my favourite pubs tomorrow evening and not have to have a shower when I get home. And I also believe that many more non smokers will now visit pubs. Whenever I've suggested to friends that we should go to certain pubs I've often been greeted with the response "Oh no - it's too smokey there." Thank goodness those days are over!
(Oh, I forgot to mention that I am a fervent non smoker! I used to smoke sixty a day but gave up over thirty years ago)
