Good god that article makes me speechless, I am an ex-smoker but even when I was smoking I supported the ban (of course I smoked in bars and resturants whilst I could!). As a now pregnant lady it's nice being able to go into bars knowing I won't be passive smoking and it's lovely leaving a pub knowing that your clothes aren't going to REEK of smoke. As for her assertion that her non-smoking friends are left twiddling their thumbs or staring into space whilst she goes outside for a smoke my social group is not chosen on the basis of whether they smoke or not and thus there is a mix so when the smokers go outside us happy non-smokers continue our conversation. (In fact in my group it is often nowadays the smoker who is solitary outside.)
To the assertion of having to go to other peoples houses for dinner etc well I don't allow smoking in my house anyway and that hasn't changed since the smoking ban, pre-ban if Ms Knight had come round I would still have made her stand outside as would most of my non-smoking friends. If she wants to smoke in her house that is up to her but to smoke in a house populated with non-smokers is just rude unless they give their permission (yes she should ask permission) I don't care if she is a grown up and can make her own choices, my house, my rules.
The social smokers comment is just ridiculous, so it's ok for them to give me cancer but not their children. I am sure social smokers children are very nice I am just not sure why there lives are more precious than mine and if they want to fill somewhere with smoke it should be their houses and not the pub.
Smoking in public has not been made illegal, smoking in certain public places has been made illegal.
Frankly if her social life has suffered because she is a smoker that just makes her a very sad person.
(btw I say all this with the disclamier I have yet to have my morning cup of tea and therefore rant mode is on high)