YOUR article "Pub Smoking Ban Delayed" said that 74.5 percent of readers would support a ban on smoking in public. Can I ask how many of these people were smokers?

If I asked 20 of my largely non-drug taking community of friends how many of them supported the legalisation of drugs there would be a large percentage against. But if the same question was asked to 20 individuals in a less salubrious area of York, Leeds or London then there might be a different result.

As we are regular drinkers, if I asked them how many would support 24-hour drinking licenses I'm sure there would be a large percentage towards it. But if I asked 20 tee-totallers there would be a different result.

Surveys say whatever those commissioning them want to hear.

People know that smoking takes place in public, and has done since long before many of us were born. Most non-smokers I know begrudgingly acknowledge this fact, and go to public houses knowing that there will be people there smoking.

If people want a smoke-free atmosphere then they should frequent the already large number of non-smoking pubs and not force their views on the now minority who enjoy a smoke.

Dave Penn,

Fitzjohn Close,

Malton.

Updated: 09:50 Friday, May 06, 2005