Smoke Screens

I'm an addict and so I'm biased but surely the decision by our smug, ex-smoker minister, Michael Martin, to ban smoking in the workplace, in particular, the pub, is ill thought out and whether enforceable or not, is just not fair or even wise. For the last twenty years or so, the issue of smoking or not has been a divisive one, but this latest move is surely one in the wrong direction.

We live in a world full of conflict between peoples of different races, cultures and religions. The American administration think that we should all be like them and enjoy it. Consumption is the name of the game. We buy into it, we get the fancy cars - with built in obsolescence, the labour saving devises that we work so hard for, the 24 hour TV to numb our heads so we don't think, fast junk to eat - out or from the supermarket - ready in four minutes, no less. We buy into advertised products to make us feel more beautiful, cool or safe - when the business of advertising is to make us concerned about problems we never knew we had, until they told us - and then tell us what we can do to make us feel better - and as long as we stay busy enough, we won't see through it.

I'm not saying that if I were to write a string of 'hits' that provided me with more money than I could possibly need that I wouldn't find ways to enjoy it - a nice house in a place I liked, with a grand piano and recording studio. Hell, I even know what three cars I'd have in my garage - a pre '99 Mazda MX5 for everyday use, something a bit less practical, purely for fun - a Caterham 7 or Aerial Atom (look it up), and when I needed more than two seats then I'd use the V-Dub - actually while it's made by Volkswagen, it's called Bentley Continental. We can all dream. What I am saying though, is that not having these things - OK Mazda aside - does not make me unhappy and I do not believe that having them would necessarily make me happy - I don't need them. Advertising is about creating a need.

I discovered something recently - at one of the seminars coinciding with the IMRO writing collaboration. It may not seem that big but it's a huge one for me. What I leant about was moral rights. I'll explain - supposing, down the road, I get that 'publishing deal', suppose I've written a song that would be great in an ad for say Coca Cola or McDonalds or Smarties (now a Nestle product) or even Shell Oil - well for the past number of years, I've been buying alternative to these companies products - exercising my right to choose. I had always assumed that a publisher automatically had the right to exploit the songs he published in any way that would earn money for himself and for the writer. Not so. An artist has the right to stipulate companies that will not benefit from the intellectual property (i.e. song) and have this included in the publishing contract. This is very liberating for my head.

What's all this got to do with smoking or not in pubs? Plenty - or nothing at all. It's all got to do with a sense of proportion though. I have no wish to inflict my smoke on anyone who for health reasons or for personal choice finds it totally objectionable. If, say, I'm out with a friend with children or maybe who has asthma, I will take my leave for the five minutes a few puffs will take and no hard feelings either way. Take though - and I believe this paranoia has been spun - the smoker who gives up - gets through the addiction and gets preachy. You go out with them and conversation about the benefits of not smoking seems to be the only one possible with them. Their houses become smoke free zones, so you go outside to indulge yourself in your despicable habit - to their tut tuts. Sooner or later you just stop going out with them and you visit their homes, only if you must.

I don't think that a total ban on smoking in pubs is what any reasonable person wants. There are thousands and thousands of addicts, like myself, who have smoked for years and have accepted that this will be something they will probably do till they die. When I began, the only warnings you'd get were from old men who'd warn you that it would stunt your growth or get soot up your nose. As research showed more and more harmful effects, I tried many times to quit but resigned myself to being a smoker for life about twenty years ago. I do try not to smoke too much into a second pack too often and that's about the best I can do.

Smoking's been around for a long time - longer than our modern society. Our modern society is extremely stressful and this is extremely stressful but this is OK - it's accepted as the 'Norm'. I believe that smoking is less harmful than stress and intolerance, which can only lead to more stress. The accepted norm nowadays is to live fast, work hard, play hard, climb over whoever gets in the way. The popular media reinforces this - as it keeps the wheels of business oiled, which in turn ensures their survival and I think it's killing us way faster than a few cigarettes. It's not sustainable but there are pills you can take when you get sick or when you feel sad and, provided most people buy into it, it will sustain itself for a while. The marginalized - drug addicts, abuse victims, homeless, mentally ill and free thinkers, once in a minority, can be kept in their place and, if you try really hard, almost ignored.

We've got a police force big and strong enough to bash the heads of a few hippies or students or any of the above who think otherwise but hey, they never seem to be about when the normal, fast living fast partying believers do the head bashing after a fun night out.

I've always been fond of Kerry (and the Kerry people seem to be quite fond of me.) In Kerry, the eccentrics seem to be celebrated rather than squashed, and I've just heard, on the radio, that Kerry publicans have just voted, unanimously, not to enforce the smoking ban. Which of the other 25 counties will be next to show its balls.

Far be it from me to encourage law breaking - but if anybody knows of any sites for standing up for the right to smoke, I'd really like to know about them. Imagine a group of people (smokers) around the country, 100,000 strong and on one or two nights a week at a nominated pub, as many as can make it, arrive at the pub between eight thirty and nine forty five, and at precisely nine fifty five - by the pub clock - all light up. What with bin protesters and disgraced politicians???, will the prisons be big enough to contain us all?