It was Francis Hutcheson in the 18th century who wrote, "The action is best, which procures the greatest happiness for the greatest numbers" - words which have been bandied around by numerous politicians and dictators since then, often for their own purpose.

For once, after 40 years' worth of evidence, the Government actually put the greater number first when it prohibited smoking in public places, not least those where the public ate and drank.

Mr Anthony has obviously never been in the position many have of scouring a strange town looking for somewhere to eat that was smoke-free because some or all members of a family happened to be badly affected by passive smoking to the extent of either being sick or simply seizing up in the atmosphere when trying to eat.

Didn't those people deserve to have a choice to eat in an unpolluted atmosphere?

Never forget the brilliant entertainer Roy Castle who never smoked a cigarette in his life yet died from cancer caused by the effects of passive smoking!

Sometimes laws have to be made to help people try to help themselves to better health, and this is one of them.

Given the state many of our young people are falling into, often because of peer pressure, there are people who would like to see the implementation of prohibition when it comes to alcohol, Britain's biggest drug problem as one drugs educator puts it, but Mr Anthony may rest assured that no government will ever dare to do that in his lifetime: there are too many vested interests involved.

No one in this country is being persecuted in the way Mr Anthony tries to make out, and we should all be thankful for it.

However, there are people in the world who know what real persecution is – and it's not for smoking or drinking – but it might be for making subversive comments about their Government!

Dr P Batstone
Meadow End
Wirksworth.