It's not science at fault it's journalists misrepresenting fact.

Their ethos does seem to be "Don't let facts get in the way of a good story".

A very interesting website in this regard is Ben Goldacre's Bad Science.

The bunkum we read in newspapers on the latest miracle cure or new deadly danger is shown there for what it is.

I cannot resist quoting a friends lyric about putting a tax on tea but I just have.(you audiophiles can trace that one yourself)

Isn`t it very ironic though, as we have bought the tabloids into this debate, that we tend to skim through headlines and say to ourselves, "well I`m not going to read that am I?"

The headline on a ciggie packet says "Smoking Kills!"

Has anyone ever read the words down the side of the packet after the headline?

Shock horror!

<<< I get the impression that these scientists haven't a clue what they're talking about half the time. >>>

When at school we used to get free milk, in fact you were encouraged to eat as much dairy produce(*) as possible.

Then - chloresterol ! - and it all became taboo (and we had to switch to those axle-grease spreads).

Now, apparentl chloresterol isn;t oo bad for you - so who's to say they won't have "switched" opinions yet again in a few years' time?

(*) I am speaking of the time when such things were fit to eat - before the Mad Farmers came along ! Now, anothing that goes anywhere near a farm is to be avoided at all costs !!!

The lack of "joined-up" thinking surrounding this ban never ceases to amaze me.

Having banned all smoking in public places (fair enough) and driven smokers out on the streets the government now want

Good point actually.
In the rush to finish a fag, they are inevitibly going to end dropped virtually intact everywhere.

A friend of mine carries a small tin around with him for his used and unfinished ciggies. It doesn't take a very high intelligence to think of something like that - just a bit of willingness.

I recall walking the mile and a half to my radio show on Saturday mornings, well before this ban was conceived, and counting over a hundred discarded cigarettes and packets on route. So, the ban can't be blamed for this kind of inconsiderate littering.

Tell you what though.

I`ve just been sent a lovely video of our wedding, and there is only about 6 people smoking at it.


I have guilt!

I used to cycle to my radio slots Cat, it really focused me.
Now there is a point to that statement and it includes breathing and smoking, the last thing I would do after a cycle ride in those days would be smoking.

I don`t like the idea of a "Nanny State", but there is a theory that we all just want to go out and breathe very deeply.

I think us smokers in this habit, seem to think we just have done this, after a smoke, then unfortunately, there is the nicotine addiction on top.

A very long thread,but it seems to be on everyones minds.