Smoking ban makes me fume – it’s bad for our health, but it’s our right to do it

Nobody is seriously suggesting we make booze illegal to prevent alcohol-related deaths or outlaw Mars bars to combat obesity, writes James Moore. We ban too many things already, it’s time to debate how far the state should go in policing our bad decisions

Rishi Sunak announced plans for a crackdown on smoking in his conference speech (PA Wire)

It’s not often one wants to side in an argument with big tobacco. We all know they’re the bad guys. But Rishi Sunak has pushed me there.

For the avoidance of doubt, I’m not comfortable being in the company of people tirelessly flogging a cancer-causing product to young people in developing nations. But the trouble is, I also don’t like banning things.

If passed into law, the PM’s proposals would see the smoking age rising by one year every year, potentially phasing out the habit among young people as soon as 2040. Potentially keeping my kids from ever sparking up. Which, given that I love them, is something I really ought to cheer.