Unbelievable!

Day one of a two-day international conference entitled 'Towards a Smoke-Free Society' sponsored by the Scottish Government (nee Executive) and other taxpayer-funded organisations. I arrived at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), grabbed a cup of coffee, bumped into an old sparring partner (Paul Hooper of ASH), and together we made our way into the main auditorium for the opening session.

One of the first speakers was Dr Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer in Scotland, who told the audience - 400 people from almost 40 countries - that the Scottish ban was introduced with the overwhelming support of the Scottish people. He said this while keeping a straight face which is some achievement because, according to the Scottish Executive's own research, only 13 per cent of people in Scotland supported a comprehensive ban prior to its introduction. But why let details like that get in the way when you're trying to convince Asia, the Americas and the rest of Europe to copy a draconian piece of legislation?

Chief topic of conversation in the morning was the report claiming that the number of non-smokers admitted to hospital with a heart attack fell by 20 per cent in the ten months after the public smoking ban came into force in March 2006. This information was of course leapt upon with relish by delegates who could scarcely believe their luck. Whether there is a direct causal link is another matter. The anti-smoking movement has played fast and loose with the facts for so long that many of us treat almost everything they say with a pinch of salt. Why should this be different?