I have just got back home from a night out in the town centre. Walking down the high street, it was clear that every bar or pub was packed, as it a Saturday night it's not that surprising, but very much unlike campus when it never gets that busy except on huge special occasions. Then we came across a pub that was relatively empty, and so went in for a drink - but I had to leave after only half my pint. The stench of smoke was disgusting and ruined the taste of my beer, so we suffered in the drunk crowds rather than the smokey hell-hole.

I detest smoking. I cannot see why anyone does it. It smells bad. It makes your clothes and breath stink. It makes your teeth yellow and your lungs black. So why do it? Yet, despite this, I oppose the smoking ban in pubs being brought in.

Smoking is a disgusting habit. But I do not believe that it is the job of the State and the Law to prevent it or stop people from doing it - that is the job of society, which should sufficiently demonise smoking so that those who do smoke attempt to break the habit, and more people do not take it up. Certainly it should not be made illegal to smoke in a pub - that is clearly a major inroad into our civil liberties - but instead pubs should have to declare openly at all entrances whether or not it is a smoking or non-smoking pub, so that the customer and let the market decide, like I did this evening.