In regard to fighting for a cause I normally remain in the background, letting others do all the work while I quietly seethe at the injustice of it all, that's why I have always had such respect for those people who are brave enough to make a stand and speak up for things they believe in, I've always felt too "afraid" to do that. However, I have recently met people who have, for the first time in my life, given me the courage and the inspiration to make my voice heard.

On July 1st 2007 I was stunned that it was actually fact that you could no longer smoke in any enclosed space. Now I'm all for the non smokers among you having smoke free places to go and I have always considered myself to be a "considerate" smoker; I would not dream of smoking/ lighting up in the company of others who did not smoke unless I was invited to do so (or if I was at a pub/club.) But come on, this just did not feel right, I could not put my finger on it at the time but it just felt "wrong". Smoking has always been a bone of contention among us, but we have mostly agreed to differ, there has never been such a divide between both parties as there is now.

I have watched the smoking ban pan out without hardly a murmur from any of us, of course, we've ranted and raved about the injustice of it all while were stood outside pubs and clubs shivering, but that's about it. Apart from a few brave souls, licensees willing to put their wallets and freedom at risk to make a stand, celebrities sticking two fingers up at it because they can, and I'm glad they do and people like Mark Harris and his family and friends, who are ordinary folk, who saw what was happening and decided enough was enough! These are the people who have opened my eyes, set my cogs in motion and kicked me up the arse!

I think most of us are failing to look at the bigger picture in regard to what this ban is actually doing to our communities. I didn't know that 57 pubs a month are closing down, I didn't think about the fact that yeah, hang on a minute, pubs are really, and have always been, the hub of a community. I didn't think about all the old folk who are now staying at home, night after night, most of them on their own, not because they cannot or do not want to go to the pub or club, but because it's too cold/ unsafe and uncomfortable to keep having to nip out for a fag. Ad what about what's next? What will the next thing be that the government deems "bad for us". You can already see obesity getting a hard time, will fat be banned, goodness know what I'll do then!! The thing is, this is supposed to be a free country, I was under the impression that once I had reached the age of 21 I was able to make my own choices about my life, good or bad, as long as I didn't break the law. Why are the goal posts being moved now?

This is why I have decided to do my bit and dedicate my space to campaigning to scrap this draconian ban and reach a compromise that suits us all, smokers and non smokers alike, we all deserve a voice.

Please take the time to visit the following site.

www.innthecold.com

Power to the people! (That's us by the way!)