AS a smoker who has not smoked in restaurants for years or enjoyed visiting poorly ventilated, excessively smoky pubs, I couldn't care less whether smoking is banned in enclosed public places.

I believe the issue is a minor distraction compared with the catastrophe facing all of us at this time.

Dr Firn's letter on the limiting of the local population based on sustainability and available resources addressed exactly the core of the problem (February 9). This is not just a local or national problem, but a global one.

In our own case, we are suffering high levels of pollution and increased traffic congestion, North Sea oil and gas supplies are dwindling and we are at the point of no return. We need a sustainable and stable population.

Unfortunately, population increase will continue across the world and I predict within 100 years from now catastrophic events that may see the disappearance of humanity. The human race has the ingenuity and resourcefulness to overcome this problem and we need to face up to this now if future generations are not to face disaster.

Charlie Stone,

Millfield Road,

York.

Updated: 10:51 Saturday, February 18, 2006