No smoke story without any ire

The NOP research for your tobacco Spotlight feature “Smokers feel the squeeze” (MW May 1) revealed exclusive findings of facts and figures many of which have been currently available for years.

Two examples might suffice. It made known that “smoking in Britain is a minority habit”. This has been the case since the early Sixties. And we learned that fewer

ABs smoke than C2DEs. Again, this has been so since most of us can remember.

Finally, the report tells us that there is an opportunity for pub and restaurant operators to make their premises more welcoming for non-smokers. But this is exactly what the hospitality trade is positively addressing right now.

It is making clear that comfortable and acceptable accommodation between smokers and non-smokers is perfectly possible without turning the country’s 15 million smokers into social pariahs.

Clive Turner

Executive director

Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association

London SW1