Campaign News | Updated | 23 June 2006

Graphic warnings sent to peers

Launched in May 2004, FOREST's 'Fight For Choice' campaign will continue for as long as takes politicians to see sense and adopt sensible solutions that take into account the interests of smokers and non-smokers alike. Our 'Fight The Ban: Fight For Choice' campaign was launched in 2004. Although we have clearly lost the latest battle, FOREST is committed to fighting for choice and we will NOT give up, whatever the future holds. Watch this space!!

JUNE 2006: On the eve of the report stage of the Health Bill, members of the House of Lords were sent graphic warnings urging them not to support a total ban on smoking in public places. 
 
One postcard featured a picture of an empty bar with the slogan: 'Get rid of the smoke, not the smokers'. Another showed a prison cell with the headline: 'Smoking room?' A third featured a 'smoke police' warden handing out a ticket to an incredulous member of the public with the caption: 'It could come to this'. 

The cards featured quotes from three high profile FOREST supporters: artist David Hockney, musician Joe Jackson and TV chef Antony Worrall Thompson.

In a separate letter sent to every peer, FOREST also drew their attention to a report by the House of Lords' Economic Affairs Committee, which declared the smoking ban to be an over-reaction to the threat of smoking in public places.

Director Simon Clark urged peers to reject smoking ban and support an amendment, proposed by former Liberal leader Lord Steel, that would allow designated smoking rooms in licensed premises. 

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FOREST urges peers to exempt shisha bars

MAY 2006: FOREST continued to fight for exemptions to the public smoking ban. With the House of Lords Grand Committee meeting for the third time (Tuesday 9 May) to discuss the Health Bill, FOREST joined forces with Ibrahim El-Noor, chief executive of the Edgware Road Traders Association and a leading member of the Muslim community, to encourage peers to support an exemption for shisha (or hookah) cafes and bars where shisha (water) pipes are smoked by the local ethnic and religious community.

El-Noor, who is also a member of the Muslim Safety Forum (MSF), told FOREST: "This legislation is causing great anguish and confusion amongst members of our community. Due to issues of language and culture, members of the community are not aware of many local and government policies.

"Many members of the Muslim community do not drink and do not like their children to frequent bars and nightclubs. The shisha cafes provide a safe environment for community interaction and activities. The fear in the minds of many is that once these places are shut, their children will be introduced to places where alcohol is consumed as well as drugs."

Simon Clark, director of FOREST, said: "It seems quite extraordinary that at a time when relations between Western and Muslim communities are extremely sensitive, the Government has totally ignored the Muslim community's views on an important social issue and appears unconcerned at the impact a comprehensive smoking ban may have on the social and cultural life of certain ethnic and religious minorities."

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Health bill reaches Grand Committee stage

APRIL 2006: The Health Bill (aka the public smoking ban) continues to grind its way through the parliamentary process. In the run-up to the House of Lords' Grand Committee stage (20, 24 April) FOREST had a hand in drafting a series of amendments which, if supported by a majority of peers, could lead to a significant dilution of the smoking ban as it currently stands. Watch this space - but don't hold your breath.

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Scotland: FOREST leads opposition to ban

MARCH 2006: With most publicans accepting defeat on the issue, FOREST led opposition to a ban on smoking in all public places with a series of hard-hitting press releases in Scotland where a public smoking ban was introduced on Sunday 26 March. FOREST spokesmen were quoted in many Scottish newspaper and Scottish spokesman Neil Rafferty appeared on several television and radio programmes.

According to Rafferty, "Scotland will be a poorer place. Politicians and health campaigners have unprecedented power over our lives. The ban will do nothing to improve the health of the nation, but it will give a warm glow to those who enjoy telling others what to do. In years to come this ban will be seen as one more step on the road to surrendering our personal freedom to politicians."

He added that the claims about passive smoking are a "calculated deception ... designed to scare the population" and said: "Politicians say they know what's best for everyone. We say that people should be allowed to decide for themselves."

As well as denouncing the ban, FOREST called on the Executive to pledge that Scotland's smoking ban would not be extended to cover outdoor areas such as parks. Neil Rafferty of FOREST said: "Smokers must not allow themselves to be bullied and stigmatised any more. Enough is enough."

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Exempt shisha cafes, says FOREST 

MARCH 2006: Following an approach by Ibrahim El-Nour, chief executive of the Edgware Road Association, FOREST agreed to lobby for an amendment to the Health Bill that would exempt cafes that allow people to smoke shisha (or hookah) pipes. The amendment will allow exemptions to "places where pipe smoking is part of an established ethnic or religious culture".

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FOREST exerts peer pressure 

MARCH 2006: Following the second reading of the Health Bill in the House of Lords on Wednesday 1 March, FOREST continued to advise and brief smoker-friendly peers on the issues that need to be challenged at both Committee stage and the third reading of the Bill when it returns to the chamber in April.

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Fighting the ban: award winners

FEBRUARY 2006: Proving that FOREST and our Fight For Choice campaign is alive and well, we celebrated our annual awards at The Groucho Club in London on 27th February. A packed house saw awards presented to artist David Hockney (Smokers' Rights Champion of the Year), Claire Fox (Smoker of the Year), Philip Davies MP (Parliamentarian of the Year), Sue Carroll (Journalist of the Year) and Rob Lyon on behalf of Spiked! Online (Website of the Year). 

Hockney was also awarded the Boisdale Free Spirit of the Year Award, and inventor Trevor Baylis was presented with a special Pipesmoker of the Year award by Gustav Temple, editor of The Chap magazine. Other guests included musician Joe Jackson and Brian Monteith MSP.

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Letter to members of the House of Lords

FEBRUARY 2006: In advance of the second reading of the Health Bill in the House of Lords on Wednesday 1 March, FOREST sent a letter to each and every peer explaining that "We are deeply concerned about the draconian nature of the Health, its reliance on unscientific data, and the precedent it sets for future government interference in the private lives of citizens ...

"While it is perfectly legitimate for people to express a dislike of tobacco smoke or say that it causes them discomfort, science should not be distorted to provide a medical justification for removing the rights of 13 million British adults."

FOREST urged peers to table and support an amendment that would allow local authorities to issue licences for well-ventilated, designated smoking rooms in "privately-owned venues such as pubs, clubs and restaurants".

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Open letter to members of Parliament

FEBRUARY 2006: In a final attempt to persuade MPs not to vote for a total ban on smoking in all pubs and clubs, FOREST sent members of parliament a special 'Fight For Choice' ashtray together with an open letter to MPs from director Simon Clark.

In the letter, Clark said that "Banning smoking in ALL workplaces - including every pub and private members' club - is disproportionate to the problem of second-hand smoke which can be solved by the introduction of designated smoking rooms and/or good quality ventilation that can remove up to 90 percent of the gases and particles from ETS (environmental tobacco smoke).

"Banning smoking in all indoor public places will not stop the vast majority of people who choose to smoke. They will continue to smoke - outside the pub, in the street and at home. In a civilised society, surely it is not unreasonable to provide some indoor public places where they can smoke, in comfort?"

He added: "We appreciate the extent to which MPs have been pressurised by the medical establishment and anti-smoking lobby groups to ban smoking in all public places. There is a fine line between lobbying and bullying, however, and we would suggest that, on occasion, some of the more evangelical anti-smokers have over-stepped the mark. If they succeed in banning smoking in all indoor public places, many outdoor public places, even the home, will be next. Increasingly, employers will be encouraged not to employ smokers at all."  

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New FOREST poll supports choice

FEBRUARY 2006: With just days to go before MPs voted on smoking in public place, FOREST commissioned a new poll by Populus. Yet again the results showed clear public support for the government's proposal to allow smoking in pubs that don't serve food and private members' clubs. According to the survey, 59 percent of people believe that smoking should be allowed in the former, and 63 percent in the latter. The poll also found overwhelming support for the introduction of designated smoking rooms in pubs and bars that do not serve food (66 percent in favour, 30 percent opposed).

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Alliance against total ban

FEBRUARY 2006: Speaking at a news conference at the House of Commons organised by FOREST one week before the third reading of the Health Bill, MPs, licensees and celebrity smokers joined forces to criticise proposals to prohibit smoking in all licensed premises.

Speakers included Philip Davies MP (Conservative), Bill Etherington MP (Labour), Lembit Opik MP (Liberal Democrat), musician Joe Jackson, restaurateur Richard Shepherd CBE, and inventor Trevor Baylis OBE. Messages of support were sent by artist David Hockney, Oscar-winning playwright Ronald Harwood, celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson, artist Maggi Hambling, TV comedy writer/producer Laurence Marks, Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming and Alan Bowes, executive chairman of the Swallow Group of hotels.

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What the British public really think  

JANUARY 2006: FOREST sent every Member of Parliament a copy of our latest pamphlet. 'What the British public really thinks about smoking in pubs, clubs and bars' summarises the key findings of public opinion research polls conducted by Populus for FOREST between January 2004 and November 2005. (To download a copy click here.)

The results, which mirror those of the Government's own Office for National Statistics, show that, when offered a range of facilities (including mainly non-smoking with smoking areas or mainly smoking with non-smoking areas) the overwhelming majority of the British public support a choice of smoking and non-smoking facilities in preference to a total ban.

"Our findings," said FOREST director Simon Clark, "show there is no public appetite or mandate to impose a total smoking ban in all indoor public places. What people want is a range of non-smoking and smoking facilities that take into account the habits and interests of non-smokers and smokers alike. Is that too much to ask?"

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Christmas message

DECEMBER 2005: To enforce our message, Christmas cards bearing the 'Fight the ban: fight for choice' logo and the salutation, 'Have a happy Christmas and a smoker-friendly New Year' were sent to every member of the Westminster Parliament, Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly.

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Majority opposed to total ban

NOVEMBER 2005: In anticipation of the second reading of the Government's Health Improvement Bill (aka the smoking bill) in the House of Commons on 29 November, FOREST commissioned another survey from Populus. According to the new poll, more than three quarters of adults in England believe the Government's plans to ban smoking in most public places have either gone far enough or are too restrictive: 45 percent think the proposals are about right, while 31 percent think they have gone too far. Just 22 percent feel they do not go far enough. Even among non-smokers, only 27 percent favour tougher restrictions. 

The poll also found overwhelming support for designated smoking rooms in offices and other places of work where employers and employees have agreed that such rooms should be provided (74 percent in favour, 23 percent opposed).

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Government offers glimmer of hope

OCTOBER 2005: FOREST's 'Fight For Choice' campaign achieved a small measure of success when the Government announced (26 October) that legislation to ban smoking in public places in England from 2007 will exempt private clubs and pubs that don't serve food. Director Simon Clark told BBC1 Breakfast that FOREST would have liked the option of smoking rooms in restaurants, cafes and pubs that serve food, but the Government had at least recognised the concept of choice for smokers as well as non-smokers.

Speaking on the same programme, Deborah Arnott of ASH said the group would continue to lobby for a total ban on smoking in every pub, club and bar. The fight for choice continues!!

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Weight of evidence 

OCTOBER 2005: Continuing our efforts to fight public smoking bans at local as well as national level, FOREST director Simon Clark gave evidence to two local council committees, the Health Scrutiny Committee in Middlesbrough (21 October) and North Lincolnshire Council's Executive Overview Scrutiny Committee (11 October).

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Hockney spearheads fight for choice

SEPTEMBER 2005: Our 'Fight For Choice' campaign gained spectacular momentum with the appearance of world famous artist David Hockney at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton. Invited to speak at a fringe meeting ('Labour, Liberty and Law') organised by FOREST, Hockney began the day by appearing on BBC1's Breakfast and then on Radio 4's prestigous Today programme where he accused anti-smoking Labour MP Julie Morgan of being "too bossy" aqnd "absolutely dreary".

Hockney's arrival in Brighton prompted an even greater media frenzy. A photo call attracted over 20 photographers (and a lone 'ban tobacco' campaigner!) after which he conducted a non-stop series of interviews for television and press (see Read All About It, 28 September 2005).

The meeting itself took place at the Hilton Metropole Hotel. Chaired by Claire Fox, director of the Institute of Ideas, other panellists at a packed event were FOREST director Simon Clark, musician and writer Joe Jackson, plus Sue Carroll and Sue Brealey, co-authors of The Joy of Smoking.

Afterwards, guests and speakers, including David Hockney, were invited to a special FOREST dinner at the nearby Havana Restaurant. Guests included Sunday Times journalist Jasper Gerard who conducted a two-hour interview with our Greatest Living Yorkshireman!

See: Sunday Times (2 October 2005)Independent (29 September 2005)
Times Online (28 September 2005)
PR Newswire (28 September 2005)

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Taking our message to the streets

SEPTEMBER 2005: Another phase of our campaign saw the unveiling of two advans which toured the streets of Brighton for three days (26-28 September) during the Labour Party Conference. Each van was emblazoned with an image designed to highlight our campaign for more freedom of choice and less government interference in our daily lives.

Director Simon Clark said: "Throughout the Government's consultation process pressure groups representing a vociferous anti-smoking minority have tried to force their radical agenda on the silent majority who favour choice and compromise. Taking our message on to the streets in a way that cannot be ignored by ministers and other conference delegates is our attempt to redress the balance." 

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Public debate ... or Spanish Inquisition?

SEPTEMBER 2005: The latest stop in FOREST's ongoing 'Fight For Choice' campaign was Middlesbrough. On Wednesday 21 September director Simon Clark took part in a 'public' debate on the subject 'Should smoking be banned from enclosed public places in Middlesbrough?' Apart from Clark panellists included the Mayor of Middlesbrough, Ray 'Zero Tolerance' Mallon. Clark reports:

"I had a good idea what to expect after appearing on BBC Cleveland earlier in the day where I found myself being attacked as a stooge of Big Tobacco by the very person who was organising the debate and had invited me to take part - Sue Barnard, a local 'health improvement specialist'.

"A few days before Sue emailed to say that the event would be in a Question Time style format with me and two other panellists. In the event it was me and THREE other panellists who - surprise, surprise - were all anti-smoking and want a complete ban on smoking in all public places.

"Not only was I outnumbered three to one on the panel, I also had to contend with a chairman - Paul Frost, described by Sue as an "ex-news presenter" - who left no-one in any doubt about his own anti-smoking views. (Impartial is obviously a foreign word on Teeside.)

"I was promised an audience of "community members, business sector, PCT, Council [and] general public" but there was precious little sign of either the business sector or the general public.

"The whole event - whilst fun - was a farce and an indictment of the extent to which the anti-smoking industry is dictating 'public' debate on a serious social issue. This was not a public debate. It was more like the Spanish Inquisition."

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FOREST to the rescue!!

SEPTEMBER 2005: FOREST's 'Fight For Choice' campaign has joined forces with 'Support Our Smokers', a campaign set up up hoteliers and publicans on Guernsey who are vehemently opposed to the island's public smoking ban which is due to be enforced in 2006. At the request of SOS, FOREST director Simon Clark spoke at a special public meeting in St Peter Port Guernsey, on 13 September. 

Addressing the meeting, which attracted over 80 people including 15 deputies (members of the Guernsey parliament), Clark urged Guernsey to follow Continental smoking policy and branded the island's proposed blanket ban as "excessive, disproportionate and illiberal". He argued that "heavy-handed legislation is unwelcome and unnecessary and would infringe the rights of many people, including publicans and restaurateurs". During his visit Clark also gave interviews to BBC Radio Guernsey and Island TV.

See: Guernsey Press (14 September 2005)

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Listen to the public, says FOREST

SEPTEMBER 2005: Advertisements urging the Government to listen to public opinion and reject calls for an outright ban on smoking in all public places appeared in several national newspapers on Monday 5th September, the last day of the consultation period on the Government's proposals for restricting smoking in public places.

An ad featuring the headline 'Don't Just Sit There' appeared in the Daily Mail, Guardian, Independent and The Times. It urged people who agree that more no-smoking areas and better ventilation are preferable to an outright ban to register their support for FOREST's 'Fight For Choice' campaign.

A second ad, headlined 'Why We Should Kick Out A Total Smoking Ban' and featuring a no-smoking sign being given the boot, appeared in The Sun the following day. The advertising campaign was mentioned by both the Today programme (BBC Radio 4) and BBCTV's One O'Clock News.

Simon Clark, director of FOREST, commented: "Anti-smoking groups are applying huge pressure on the Government to go
for a total ban on smoking in all public places. Our message is clear. The public don't want a total ban and the Government has said it will listen to the public. It's time for the majority who believe in freedom of choice to speak out before it's too late, and for the Government to stick to its resolve."

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British public reject total ban on public smoking

SEPTEMBER 2005: The public is in no mood to see smoking outlawed from Britain's pubs, bars and clubs. Instead, most people support the introduction of restrictions but they would stop a long way short of an outright ban. These are the headline findings of a new survey into attitudes to smoking in public places conducted by Populus for FOREST. According to the poll, which was featured in The Times and BBC Online:

•  46% want mainly non-smoking pubs with smoking areas
•  16% favour mainly smoking pubs with non-smoking areas
•  5% want smoking allowed throughout
•  only 32% support a complete ban

This same question, when asked by the government's Office
for National Statistics (ONS 2004, published July 2005),
produced almost identical results: a resounding vote
against an outright ban and in favour of a middle way
accommodating smokers and non-smokers.

The results of this latest Populus poll are consistent
with five previous surveys that have tracked the same
question about smoking in pubs, clubs and bars since
January 2004.  More than two thirds of people believe that
smoking should continue to be allowed to some extent in
pubs.

The poll also found that:

•  73% of Britons feel that pubs should be allowed to offer a choice of smoking and non-smoking facilities,
with everyone free to choose their preference
•  71% believe that owners of business premises should be allowed to set their own smoking policy, taking
into account the preferences of both employees and customers
•  79% think that smokers should be allowed to smoke in some public places, provided they don't inconvenience
non-smokers
•  69% oppose the government using the law to force people to quit

The full results of the poll have been forwarded to the Smokefree Legislation Team at the Department of Health as part of FOREST's submission to the Government's public consultation on smoking in public places.

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Has FOREST got news for Private Eye

AUGUST 2005: FOREST has withdrawn £8,000 worth of future advertising from Private Eye after the 'satirical' magazine rufused to publish our latest 'Don't Just Sit There' ad (see below). The magazine not only insisted on the right to veto other FOREST ads (which have been accepted by The Spectator, New Statesman, The Week, The Oldie, The House magazine, Parliamentary Monitor, Parliament and Holyrood magazines without complaint), it also refused to publish FOREST ads in consecutive issues.

FOREST director Simon Clark said, "The Eye has every right to choose its advertisements carefully, but it seems a bit priggish to refuse our ads when no other publication has a problem with them. As a long-time reader I am disappointed by their holier-than-thou attitude."

FOREST's latest spat with the Eye follows the magazine's refusal last year to print our 'Smoke Police' ad (bottom left) which it considered too controversial even though it was published by The Spectator, New Statesman and The Week without comment. According to Clark, "Editor Ian Hislop and his cronies are obviously getting a bit sensitive in their old age. Or perhaps Hislop really is as pompous as he sometimes appears on Have I Got News For You."

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Don't just sit there, do something!

JULY 2005: FOREST has unveiled another new advertisement as part of its Fight For Choice campaign (21 July). Featuring the headline 'Don't just sit there', it declares that, 'For years politicians and pressure groups have been trying to tell us what to do and how to live our lives. Today the anti-smoking lobby is determined to force the Government to ban smoking in all public places, including pubs, clubs and bars. If, like the majority of people, you support more no-smoking areas and better ventilation rather than an outright ban, it's time to speak out. Before they pick on something else.'

Commenting on the ad, which appears in the New Statesman and is also scheduled to appear in The Spectator, Simon Clark said: "The government recently launched a 12-week public consultation concerning smoking in public places. These exercises tend to be dominated by a vociferous minority who want to force their radical agenda on the silent majority who favour choice and compromise. 

"People, even non-smokers, have to realise that taking away our right to make fair and reasonable decisions on issues such as smoking sets a precedent for further attacks on our civil liberties."

He added: "Politicians are increasingly trying to micro-manage our lifestyle. Today it's smoking. Tomorrow they'll be dictating how much we can eat and drink. After that they'll be telling us what to think. Our message is clear. If you believe in freedom of choice and less government interference in our daily lives, it's time to speak out before it's too late."

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Follow Europe not Ireland, says FOREST

JULY 2005: FOREST unveiled its latest advertisement in the New Statesman. The ad, part of our campaign to persuade opinion formers to listen to public opinion and reject calls for a ban on smoking in all public places, is designed to show how countries in Europe have successfully found alternatives to a total ban.

Featuring the headline: 'To most of Europe, a smoking ban is a bit of a turn-off', the ad highlights Belgium, Holland, Germany, France, Spain and Greece as examples of nations where a total ban on smoking in public places has been rejected in favour of a more moderate approach.

Simon Clark, director of FOREST, said: "The smoking ban in Ireland and the forthcoming ban in Scotland are disproportionate in the wider context of Europe. Opinion polls show that the majority of people in Britain want more no-smoking areas, separate rooms for smokers and better ventilation, not an outright ban. We urge the Government to stand firm and follow the example of Europe by listening to public opinion."

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Eye await (yawn)

JUNE 2005: Staff at FOREST are on tenterhooks (yawn) as we await a decision by Private Eye to see whether the self-styled 'satirical' magazine will accept our latest campaign advertisement. Last year the Eye refused to publish our 'Smoke Police' ad because it was too "controversial" despite the fact that magazines such as The Spectator, New Statesman and The Week published it without a second glance.

This year's 'offending' advertisement (which we have not yet unveiled to the general public) has to be approved by the Private Eye board which has yet to confirm whether it is acceptable. Until they reach a decision the magazine's advertisement manager is refusing to publish our ad in the 8 July issue as booked. What a bunch of self-important tossers!

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FOREST urges hospitality to fight for choice

JUNE 2005: Phase two of FOREST's latest advertising campaign was launched on 22 June with the publication of a new advertisement headlined 'Last Orders'. The ad, part of our campaign to persuade opinion formers to listen to public opinion and reject calls for a ban on smoking in all public places, will appear in The Publican, Morning Advertiser and Caterer and Hotelkeeper.

'Last Orders' (left) features the ominous imagery of a country pub about to be hit by a wrecking ball and is designed to reflect the potentially catastrophic implications a smoking ban may have on the hospitality trade. The UK's 30,000 independent licensees are singled-out as being most at risk should a ban come into effect. The advertisement asserts that a smoking ban is neither inevitable nor is it popular or appropriate.

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A word in your ear, Tony

JUNE 2005: A new, hard-hitting advertising campaign has been launched to persuade opinion formers to listen to public opinion and reject calls for a ban on smoking in all public places (see The Publican).

The first advertisement, a direct appeal to Tony Blair, appears in the week's Spectator (18 June). In the coming weeks further advertisements will appear in Private Eye, The Week, New Statesman, The House, Parliamentary Monitor and Holyrood magazines. Advertisements will also feature in a number of hospitality trade publications, including The Publican, Morning Advertiser and Caterer & Hotelkeeper.

The first advertisement in the series, which features the headline, 'A word in your ear, Tony', asserts that a majority of people in the UK do not support a total smoking ban, especially in pubs, clubs and bars. Current plans to ban smoking in every public place, except pubs that don't serve food, are criticised as "excessive, disproportionate and illiberal". Calls to take legislation even further and ban smoking in all pubs are condemned.

FOREST has developed four separate advertisements for the campaign to serve as a rallying call for politicians, members of the hospitality trade and the general public. Each advertisement is designed to deliver a compelling argument as to why the UK should reject a total ban on smoking in all public places.  

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Welsh reject blanket ban on public smoking

MAY 2005: A conducted by Populus for FOREST has found that while 70% of people in Wales favour legislation to restrict smoking in public places, a clear majority support a choice of smoking and no-smoking facilities.

According to the poll more than two thirds (65%) said that they believe smokers should be allowed to continue to smoke in at least some areas of licensed premises, with just a third (34%) favouring an outright ban. 72% think that there should be a choice of smoking and non-smoking facilities with individuals left free to choose which suits their preference. 77% believe that smokers should be allowed to smoke in public places, provided they don't inconvenience non-smokers. And in pubs with more than one room, more than three-quarters said that smokers and non-smokers should be accommodated by allowing smoking in one room but making the others smoke-free.

More than two thirds of those polled said they believe it should be up to the owners of business premises to choose their own smoking policy, taking into account the preferences of both their own employees and customers. 64% feel that the Government has no right to use the law to force people to give up smoking, with just 34% supporting this proposition.

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Is CMO ducking our challenge?

APRIL 2005: It is now more than a month since FOREST president Lord Harris of High Cross issued his challenge to the Chief Medical Officer to prove, with hard evidence, that passive smoking kills hundreds if not thousands of non-smokers each year - and the silence is resounding.

Following the publication on Tuesday 8 March of Smoking Out The Truth: A Challenge to the Chief Medical Officer, Lord Harris wrote to Sir Liam Donaldson requesting a response. He was told that Sir Liam was on holiday but we could expect a reply in a couple of weeks. Five weeks later we are still waiting ... watch this space.

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FOREST gauges public opinion in N Ireland

MARCH 2005: A new Populus poll shows that a majority (53%) of people in Northern Ireland believe that smoking should continue to be allowed in at least some enclosed indoor areas of pubs, bars and clubs. A minority (46%) support a complete ban.

The poll, commissioned by FOREST for our Fight For Choice campaign, is the first major test of public opinion in the province since the Government began a public consultation exercise to assess public attitudes to smoking in public places. The consultation continues until 25 March.

The Populus survey also revealed a significant libertarian streak in Northern Irish attitudes to smoking in public places. 68% believe there should be greater choice of smoking and non-smoking facilities, with everyone free to choose whichever suits their preference.

71% said that smokers should have the right to smoke in some public places, provided they don't inconvenience non-smokers. 62% believe that the Government should not use the law to dictate people's lifestyles.

The Northern Ireland poll is the latest in a series of Populus polls commissioned by FOREST. A poll of 10,000 people in ten UK cities/regions in April 2004 found that 74% were opposed to blanket ban on smoking in pubs, clubs and bars. A further poll, in Scotland in January 2005, found that 66% of Scots, when offered a choice, are opposed to a complete ban (see below).

See also: NI 'divided' on public smoke ban

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Challenge to the Chief Medical Officer

MARCH 2005: The president of the smokers' lobby group FOREST issued a direct challenge to Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer for England and Wales, to prove claims that passive smoking is killing hundreds if not thousands of people in the UK every year.

Speaking at the publication of Smoking Out The Truth: A Challenge to the Chief Medical Officer and Prejudice & Propadanda: The Truth About Passive Smoking at the House of Lords on Tuesday 8 March, Lord Harris of High Cross, former general director of the Institute of Economic Affairs,  said: "Proposals to ban smoking in all public places would be understandable if they were based on incontrovertible scientific evidence of harm to others.

"But this is very far from the truth. The truth is that the dozens of studies conducted around the world over the past 25 years fail spectacularly to yield any reliably stable, uniform or statistically significant link between lifetime exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and lung cancer in non-smokers.

"The anti-smoking brigade displays a cavalier contempt for the serious discipline of epidemiology which studies the relative risks of various diseases with a single identifiable cause. Instead, these passive thinkers follow a strict party line, twisting and stretching their calculations beyond breaking point."

See also: Call for passive smoke harm proof

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Protest and survive!

FEBRUARY 2005: "To everyone who plans to give up smoking tonight, I wish the very best of luck," wrote Tom Utley of the Daily Telegraph on 31 December 2004. "But I have a New Year's resolution, too, for those of us smokers who intend to carry on with our filthy habit. We should resolve to stop being ashamed of our pleasures, and to make our protests heard."

On Monday 21 February 2005 supporters of our Fight For Choice campaign had an opportunity to do exactly that. With the help of our patron Antony Worrall Thompson, FOREST hosted a special reception to mark the publication of The Smoking Issue, an essay by musician and FOREST supporter Joe Jackson.

Venue was the famous Groucho Club in London's West End and guests - including Joe - travelled from far and wide. Those who couldn't attend - including Spectator editor Boris Johnson MP, former Chancellor Lord Lamont and publisher Felix Dennis - sent messages of support.

See also: The Smoking Issue, FOREST Annual Awards, Messages of Support

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State of the Union

FEBRUARY 2005: The Oxford Union provided the latest stage for FOREST's Fight For Choice campaign when director Simon Clark joined forces with patron Antony Worrall Thompson to oppose the motion that 'This House would ban smoking in all public places' (10 February 2005). Proposing the motion was Professor Sir Charles George, president of the British Medical Association, and Lord Faulkner of Worcester. Sadly the result was a win for the ayes, 118 - 82, but better to have fought than not fought at all ....

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Wozza to the rescue!

JANUARY 2005: FOREST patron Antony Worrall Thompson has added his name to a formal petition to fight two Bills that would prohibit smoking in all workplaces in London and Liverpool. If enacted, the legislation, which has already passed its first reading in the Lords, would outlaw smoking in all workplaces, including offices, factories, pubs, restaurants, taxis and lorry cabs.

The Prohibition of Smoking in Places of Work Bills go far beyond the limited ban put forward by the Government in its Public Health White Paper last year. A group of 50 restaurateurs — including Antony Worrall Thompson and another FOREST supporter Ranald McDonald — has placed a petition against the Bills.

McDonald, of Boisdale, which offers the largest selection of Cuban cigars of any restaurant in Europe, said a ban would alter his business. "We are not a public place. If this draconian piece of legislation is passed we would have to rethink dramatically the way we operate." 

Source: The Times (8 February 2005) 

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Wales supports choice, insists FOREST

JANUARY 2005: A public meeting of the National Assembly South East Regional Committee in Porthcawl (Friday 21 January), FOREST director Simon Clark said independent polls show that the Welsh people clearly want more no-smoking areas and better ventilation but a large majority support choice and are opposed to a total ban on smoking in pubs, clubs and bars.

A Populus poll of 1000 people in Cardiff, said Clark, found that only 26 per cent support a total ban. This finding, he added, was supported by a subsequent survey of 1,326 people in 22 Cardiff pubs which found that 80 per cent were opposed to a total ban on smoking in pubs.

Clark told the committee that studies on passive smoking have so far failed to conclusively prove that environmental tobacco smoke is harmful. Ventilation, properly maintained, he added, has been shown to remove up to 90 per cent of the gases and particles caused environmental tobacco smoke. "You would have to be a fanatic not to be happy with that."

The meeting, attended by over 20 members of the Welsh Assembly, also heard presentations by ASH Wales and the Licensed Victuallers Association.

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Scots want choice not total ban

JANUARY 2005: Two thirds of Scots believe that pubs and clubs should be able to accommodate smokers, according to the latest poll commissioned by FOREST as a part of our ongoing Fight For Choiced campaign. The poll, conducted by Populus, found that a majority of Scots (59 per cent) supported new smoking legislation. However when people were quizzed in more detail they were clearly opposed to "sweeping proposals that would leave smokers nowhere to smoke in public".

Of those questioned, 59% said they supported new legislation on smoking. When they were offered choices other than a blanket ban, 66% said that pubs, bars and clubs should be able to accommodate smokers. Two-thirds of those surveyed said they thought it should be up to licensees rather than politicians to determine their own smoking policy. More than 75% of those questioned said that people have the right to smoke in public as long as they do not inconvenience non-smokers.

According to FOREST spokesman Neil Rafferty, "Scots support a reasonable, rational, middle way, and when questioned in more detail are opposed to the sweeping proposals that would leave smokers nowhere to smoke in public, not even in a separate, well ventilated smoking area within pubs, bars or members' clubs."

Source: BBC Online (13 January 2005)

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Proud to join the FOREST campaign

JANUARY 2005: FOREST has announced the appointment of a new Scottish spokesman to fight for choice north of the border. From 1999 to 2004 Neil Rafferty covered the Scottish Parliament for the Press Association, the Sunday Mail, Business AM and the Sunday Times Scotland. He began his career on local newspapers in the North East of England before joining the Press and Journal in Aberdeen and has also worked extensively at Westminster. He is now a freelance journalist and media consultant. Originally from Paisley, he now lives in the Scottish Borders.

A smoker, Rafferty says, "The Executive's proposal to ban smoking in pubs and clubs is unreasonable and is out of step with Scottish public opinion. I am proud to join the FOREST campaign in Scotland to fight these damaging proposals and to  persuade MSPs to introduce a system which will offer choice to smokers and non-smokers alike." 

Simon Clark, director of FOREST, said, "This appointment gives our campaign new impetus in Scotland. FOREST represents the ordinary consumer and we hope that many more people will come forward and help our fight for choice."

Previous FOREST spokesmen in Scotland have included Brian Monteith, now MSP for mid-Scotland and Fife, and Charles MacLean, a leading authority on Scotch whisky and author of MacLean's Miscellany of Whisky.

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Scotland RIP

DECEMBER 2004: As part of our Fight For Choice campaign we are inviting smokers and tolerant non-smokers at home and abroad to contribute comments to our Scotland: Book of Condolence page. If we get a good response we will send them to First Minister Jack McConnell and every member of the Scottish Parliament. Write to scot@forestonline.org giving your name (or initials) and the town/city in which you live. (Don't worry, we won't publish your email address.) Contributions are welcome from home (Scotland) and abroad (ie potential tourists).

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Petition handed in to 10 Downing Street

NOVEMBER 2004: FOREST has thrown its weight behind the pressure group Freedom2Choose, run by businessman Rod Bullough. Launched in the summer, Freedom2Choose represents the many businesses, including pubs and cigarette vending machine operators, which could fold if a smoking ban is introduced.

Throughout the autumn of 2004 the group has been busy collecting signatures to a petition asking the Government not to ban smoking in all public places. To date 12,000 people have signed up and on Wednesday 10 November a petition was handed in to 10 Downing Street by a delegation including restaurateur and FOREST supporter Ranald Macdonald.

On 10 November a total of 70 supporters made their way to London (Rod was interviewed en route on Radio Five Live) and at midday the group took part in a photo call in the shadow of Big Ben.

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FOREST supporters fight for choice

NOVEMBER 2004: With the Scottish Executive about to consider whether or not a ban on smoking in public places should be introduced in Scotland, BBC Scotland's news website asked eight people with different views for their opinions. Fighting for choice were FOREST director Simon Clark, former FOREST spokesman Brian Monteith MSP, and FOREST supporter Ellie Quinn.

According to Clark, "If Scottish politicians really believe in local democracy they will let private businesses choose their own policy on smoking in consultation with customers and staff. This is an issue that should be decided by individuals and market forces not opportunistic politicians jumping on the anti-smoking bandwagon."

Pro-choice MSP Brian Monteith said, "More choice between smoking and non-smoking facilities is what the public consistently calls for and that's what owners are trying to deliver. We should totally reject the idea of a ban on smoking in pubs, clubs and restaurants and leave it to the market to accommodate our varying tastes."

"Hardline smoker" Ellie Quinn said, "I have worked in the tourism industry for two decades and I have seen clearly how this sector has dealt with the passive smoking issue. It took on a voluntary charter and it has improved conditions for both smokers and non-smokers. Government intervention will not work. If serious curbs are brought in this time, when will it all end? Will we be told not to smoke in our cars and not to smoke on the beach? These things have happened elsewhere and I don't want them to happen in Scotland."

Source: BBC Online (8 November 2004)

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Brighton breezy

OCTOBER 2004: Promoting our message of choice, FOREST director Simon Clark was one of three panellists at a public meeting organised by the Brighton and Hove Primary Care Trust on Wednesday 27 October. Chaired by BBC Radio 4 presenter Barbara Myers, fellow speakers were Dr Tom Scanlon and Tony Tony Mernagh of the Brighton City Centre Business Forum.

The meeting was notable for two things: an extraordinary comment by Myers that the dangers of passive smoking are "not debatable"; and the determination of the PCT (and others) to believe that public opinion is now firmly in favour of a blanket ban on smoking in public places when even the Health Secretary John Reid has acknowledged that opinion polls do NOT support such a move.

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On the House

OCTOBER 2004: FOREST has taken its 'Fight For Choice' campaign deep into the heart of Westminster - by placing a full page 'lobby message' in The House magazine which is sent to every MP plus leading civil servants. Entitled 'Don't let our culture of tolerance go up in smoke', we ask:

"Do we really want politicians and health addicts dictating our lifestyle through coercion and social engineering? An important factor is choice. Let proprietors choose a policy on smoking that best suits their business, and let the consumer be the final judge ... Instead of discriminating against a significant minority, politicians should respect the rights of adults to consume a perfectly legal product in some indoor public places. In a free society, is that too much to ask?"

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Consultation process "flawed"

OCTOBER 2004: FOREST has hit out at the Scottish Executive's consultation process on smoking in public places. In its submission, the group questioned the way the consultation process was handled, and criticised the visit by First Minister Jack McConnell to Ireland to see how a smoking ban was working there. FOREST director Simon Clark said: "We were horrified that Jack McConnell should choose to visit Dublin without meeting any group known to have reservations about the Irish legislation. For the First Minister to then declare his support for similar action in Scotland while the Executive's own consultation process was still in progress merely compounded his error." Clark said four major public meetings held across Scotland as part of the Executive's consultation on banning smoking in public places were "fundamentally flawed".

Source: Evening News (1 October 2004)

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Choice is an important word

SEPTEMBER 2004: FOREST director Simon Clark took our 'Fight For Choice' campaign to Plymouth when he addressed a city council scrutiny committee which is looking at whether Plymouth should become a 'smoke-free city'.

Clark said people could expect to see a ban on smoking in public places followed by attempts to ban smoking in cars, outdoor spaces and, eventually, their homes. He said: "Please don't think that banning smoking in restaurants and bars will be the end of it. (Anti-smoking group) ASH will not be happy until there is no smoking full stop."

Responding to the fact that 80 per cent of 23,843 respondents in the Big Smoke Debate South West were in favour of a ban, Clark said only those with strong views tended to fill in the questionnaires, which were available online, and in GP surgeries, libraries and council offices.

He said that pubs, bars and restaurants had already taken steps to protect non-smokers from any ill-effects, with 57 per cent of pubs now offering no-smoking areas, and the quality of air in such places could be further improved with ventilation systems without bringing in a blanket ban. He said: "Choice is the most important word in this debate. These are private businesses who know what their staff and customers want and should be allowed to act accordingly."

Source: Evening Herald (29 September 2004)

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Action man

SEPTEMBER 2004: Writing in The Times (Letters, 28 September), FOREST director Simon Clark pointed out that "If the British government bans smoking in all indoor public places it is only a matter of time before the vociferous anti-smoking minority demand further action against this perfectly legal habit. Britain is supposed to be a tolerant, cosmopolitan country that enjoys a wide range of lifestyles. Let's keep it that way."

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Jackson takes the fight to Labour

SEPTEMBER 2004: Musician Joe Jackson, a member of FOREST's Supporters Council and a leading figure in our 'Fight For Choice' campaign, shared the platform with Health Secretary John Reid at a special event organised by the Institute for Public Policy Research at the Labour Party conference in Brighton on Sunday 26 September. Other panellists were Dr Richard Smith, former editor of the British Medical Journal who now works for United Healthcare; Richard Reeves of the Intelligence Agency; and virologist Professor John Oxford.

Jackson told the audience that smoking had become politicised and said that banning smoking in public in order to force people to quit is an example of social engineering. He argued that research into passive smoking is inconclusive and added that a smoky environment could be negated with good ventilation. He noted the enormous amount of money that pharmaceutical companies stand to gain from anti-smoking products and concluded that, while there is a role for government to play in the smoking debate, policy should not be dictated by "anti-smoking groups using junk science".

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Write on

SEPTEMBER 2004: Five members of FOREST's Supporters Council were among the 14 leading names who signed a letter to The Times attacking the government's plans for further restrictions on smoking in public places (25 September).

Musician Joe Jackson, artist David Hockney, restaurateur Antony Worrall Thompson, inventor Trevor Baylis and playwright Ronald Harwood joined forces with other big names including Bob Geldof, Stephen Fry, pop mogul Simon Cowell, publisher Felix Dennis, singer Lisa Stansfield and writer Simon Gray in calling on the Government to "de-escalate the tension" on the issue.

They wrote: "To smoke, to associate with smokers, or to operate a venue in which smoking is allowed should all be matters for individual choice. Smoking is legal, and in pubs and clubs, it's fanatical smoke-haters who are the minority."

Speaking to The Times, Jackson added, "David Hockney said to me that people are like sheep and follow whoever shouts loudest. So we are going to make some noise too."

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FOREST invited to meet Secretary of State

SEPTEMBER 2004: FOREST director Simon Clark and former chairman Lord Harris of High Cross (author of Murder A Cigarette) were given the opportunity to make their views known to Health Secretary John Reid in a 30-minute meeting at the Department of Health (23 September 2004). The meeting, which Clark described as "constructive", was part of the Government's public consultation on smoking in public places.

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FOREST in Wales

SEPTEMBER 2004: FOREST's 'Fight For Choice' campaign once again crossed into Wales when director Simon Clark gave evidence the Welsh Assembly's Committee on Smoking in Public Places (23 September 2004). He told the committee, "The vast majority of studies can find no clear link between lung cancer and passive smoking" and added that so few non-smokers get lung cancer that the increased risk of the disease was relatively small. "You have to be a bit of a fanatic to demand totally pure air in a pub. If you live in an industrial society it is very difficult to talk about having a right to pure air."

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Hockney fights for choice

JULY 2004: David Hockney, one of Britain's most influential post-war artists, has added his voice to our 'Fight For Choice' campaign. Speaking exclusively to FOREST Online (27 July 2004), Bradford-born Hockney, 67, attacked politicians and doctors who called for a total ban on smoking in public places. Smokers, he says, don't defend themselves because they are intimidated by the medical profession. "People have become too passive. Smoking might kill me but I'm quite philosophical about it. I will defend my way of life."

Hockney told FOREST he intended to avoid New York, where smoking has been banned in bars for 16 months, as much as possible. has no plans to go to New York or, if he does, to stay for very long. "I'm aware it's now a hostile city," he said. "There are signs everywhere you don't get in any other city. Not only are they saying they don't like your smoke, they're saying we want you to stop as well. The peasants have taken over, unsophisticated people who can't see the consequences." 

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Eye smoke - at last 

JULY 2004: After banning our 'Smoke Police' advertisement ("too controversial"), 'satirical' magazine Private Eye softened its attitude and agreed to feature the latest in our series of 'Fight For Choice' ads - the 'Smoke Camera' ad that has also appeared in The Spectator and New Statesman (23 July). "Very clever," commented one Eye reader in a call to FOREST HQ. "What can I do to help?" If anyone else wants to help the campaign, please get in touch. Email choice@forestonline.org.

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Friday night live - in Cardiff!

JULY 2004: FOREST director Simon Clark travelled to Wales to speak at a public meeting in Cardiff organised by local MP Julie Morgan (23 July 2004). Speakers included Baroness Finlay Finlay of Llandaff who is responsible for a private member's bill that would give the Welsh Assembly the power to ban smoking in public places, Jane Hutt AM, minister for health and social services, plus representatives from Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK, and ASH Wales.

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Scally wag tells FOREST to butt out

JULY 2004: Dr Gabriel Scally, the South West's regional director of public health, says he is shocked that FOREST has written to local councillors with information about the results of our independent opinion poll on smoking in pubs, clubs and bars. Apparently our poll conflicts with the Big Smoke Debate: "It is outrageous for this organisation ... to try and interfere with this major public expression of views on smoking in enclosed public places," he told the Bristol Evening Post (2 July 2004).

FOREST director Simon Clark said: "Dr Scally is easily shocked. FOREST represents smokers and tolerant non-smokers, nationally and locally. We have every right to take part in the smoking debate in Bristol or anywhere else.

"Our letter to councillors highlighted the results of a
recent independent poll that asked 10,000 people,
including 1,000 in Bristol, whether they supported a ban
on smoking in pubs, clubs and bars. While a clear
majority wanted more no smoking areas and better
ventilation, 74% were opposed to a blanket ban.

"Any reasonable person would welcome this information as
a useful contribution to the debate. Hopefully Dr Scally's comments will inspire even more people to join our 'Fight For Choice' campaign which is supported by people like artist David Hockney, musician Joe Jackson, inventor Trevor Baylis and playwright Ronald Harwood."

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Caught on camera

JULY 2004: Following the success of our 'Smoke Camera' ad, which has been running in a number of regional newspapers, FOREST books the same advertisement to run in the New Statesman (9 July), The Spectator (17 July) and Private Eye (23 July). Director Simon Clark says, "We wait with bated breath to see whether Private Eye, having banned the 'Smoke Police' ad, is prepared to publish the new ad. Watch this space."

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Dying to be heard

JULY 2004: Responses for and against our 'Fight For Choice' campaign start to arrive at FOREST HQ. Most belligerant note, to director Simon Clark from a Bristol City councillor, states, unequivocally: "Dear Simon, I hope you die of cancer." Charming.

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Caught on camera?

JULY 2004: The third and final advertisement in our current advertising spree is published in a variety of regional newspapers. 'Smokers - your local could be next' features a smoke/speed camera attached to the inside wall of a pub. 'The government,' states the ad, 'is now considering further ways of controlling smoking in public places. There could be a total ban on smoking in all public places with heavy penalties for smokers and those who permit smoking in pubs, clubs and bars. Your council would have to enforce this. At FOREST we support more smoke-free areas and well-ventilated pubs because, like most people, we prefer choice rather than an outright ban.'

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Eye don't smoke

JUNE 2004: 'Satirical' magazine Private Eye bans FOREST's 'Smoke Police' advertisement (top left). According to the Eye's advertising sales team, the decision was made by editorial staff who decided the advertisement is "too emotive". FOREST director Simon Clark says: "It's up to them what advertisements appear in their magazine, but I am amazed by the decision. As an avid Eye reader for 25 years, I thought the 'Smoke Police' ad, which is tongue-in-cheek and slightly anti-establishment, would be right up their street. Sadly, we were wrong." The 'Smoke Police' ad, which was approved by the Advertising Standards Authority, has run without a hitch in The Spectator, New Statesman and many regional newspapers. "There must be more to this than meets the eye," says Clark.

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Post haste

JUNE 2004: FOREST sends the results of our Populus poll to no fewer than 22,000 regional and national politicians, including local councillors, AMs (Welsh Assembly), MSPs (Scottish Parliament), MPs and members of the House of Lords. The results, which are presented in a six-page brochure, are accompanied by a letter from director Simon Clark who writes:

"Following the ban on tobacco advertising, the anti-smoking lobby has been vociferous in demanding another ban - this time on smoking in public places. So far, government ministers have said there are no plans for a national smoking ban, though they may consider giving powers to local councils to ban smoking in public places in their areas ...

"An independent poll of 10,000 people in ten regions across Britain has just been carried out. The findings show that seven out of ten people (74%) do NOT support a blanket ban on smoking in pubs and bars. In fact the comprehensive, regionally representative survey by Populus found that only 24% of people thought smoking should be banned completely in pubs, clubs and bars. A large majority undoubtedly want improvements - more smoke-free areas and well-ventilated pubs - but they want choice, not an outright ban. 

"Another key focus of the [Fight For Choice] campaign is whether smoking policies in pubs, bars and clubs should continue to be set by the management or whether the UK should blindly follow the example of New York and Ireland and ban smoking completely, against the wishes of most people in the hospitality industry. The survey found that almost two thirds of people (63%) believe policies on smoking should be left to the owners and managers of individual premises, rather than local councils (21%) or central government (14%).

"The hospitality industry in the UK has worked hard to improve ventilation and to create more non-smoking areas and nonsmoking pubs and restaurants. Further progress in these areas will provide real choice for smokers and non-smokers alike."

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Police notice

JUNE 2004: The second of three advertisements designed to promote our 'Fight For Choice' campaign appear in regional newspapers. It is also booked to appear in The Spectator, New Statesman, Private Eye and The Week. 'It could come to this' features a member of the 'smoke police' handing out an on-the-spot fine to an incredulous smoker, with the copy:

'If the Government decided to ban smoking in all public places, it would have to be enforced. In Ireland, where a ban already exists, administered by the Office of Tobacco Control, there are now 400 'Smoke Police'. Do you really want this to happen here? At Forest we support more smoke-free areas and well-ventilated pubs because, like most people, we prefer choice rather than an outright ban.'

Following the news that mayoral candidates Ken Livingstone and Steve Norris might support a London ban on smoking in public places, the full page advertisement is also booked into the London Evening Standard.

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Guardian of smokers' rights

JUNE 2004: Fresh from his dinner date with FOREST (see below), David Hockney is "inspired" to write a letter to the Guardian (1 June 2004). Taking issue with the paper's support for a ban on smoking in public places, Britain's greatest living artist writes: "The whole of the medical world might say smoking is a killer. Yes, it's like life itself, a slow killer. How do your correspondents (Letters, May 31) know that you save 5,000 lives a year? I do not believe it's possible to know that ...

"Smoking is a great pleasure. If it knocks some time off your life, it's only at the end of it. So what! I admit people might not like smoky places, but you have to accept the fact that some people don't mind them, it's a price you pay for some excitement, but the dreary don't want anybody near smoke. I loathe the view of life that thinks some people have so much more knowledge of life that their advice must be listened to. I'm the expert on my life, not the doctor. He can advise, make suggestions, but ultimately I decide what will give me the excitement I want from life."

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Dinner date with Hockney

MAY 2004: Guests at a private dinner to mark the launch of our 'Fight For Choice' campaign include artist David Hockney, Oscar-winning playwright Ronald Harwood, musician Joe Jackson and inventor Trevor Baylis. Host for the evening was Ranald Macdonald, owner of Boisdale Restaurant in the City of London (www.boisdale.co.uk). All five agree to join FOREST's Supporters Council and support the campaign. According to Hockney, the evening is a "life enhancing experience".

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Poll dancing

MAY 2004: First advertisements in our 'Fight For Choice' campaign appear in 15 regional newspapers and a handful of national magazines (Private Eye, The Spectator, New Statesman and The Week). The advertisements ('Who prefers choice to a smoking ban?') are designed to promote the results of our Populus poll which show that a large majority are opposed to a blanket ban on smoking in pubs, clubs and bars.

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Smokers fight back

MAY 2004: Launch of FOREST's 'Fight For Choice' campaign plus publication of our independent Populus poll on the public's attitude to a ban on smoking in pubs, clubs and bars. Poll is focussed on the eight cities and two regions where politicians and health officials have expressed particular interest in banning smoking in all public places. Launch of campaign features in a series of local radio interviews throughout the country.

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