Proud not to smoke

With reference to Adrian Balzan's letter (November 4) regarding smoking and non-smoking days in bars and restaurants, I have a few comments to make.

Smoking harms your lungs any day of the week, not just on alternate days; it can cause a cronic cough and permanent bad-breath; smoking can also bring about cancer, both to smokers and to passive smokers who unwittingly inhale other people's cigarette smoke.

I have a far easier suggestion than the one made by Mr Balzan: quit smoking. Your family and true friends will love you for it. Better still, save the money and splurge on a holiday.

Surveys have shown that only 25 per cent of the adult population in Malta are smokers. So what about the other 75 per cent who care for their health? What about the 75 per cent who have been avoiding going to bars because they cannot stand the stench of cigarette smoke? Can't bar and restaurant owners see that they may be losing out on one fourth of the Maltese population only to be replaced by the three-quarters of non-smokers?

My husband and I are proud to be non-smokers and I hope that our children will follow suit.