MORE than 1,100 smokers stubbed out their habit in just three months after the ban on smoking in public was introduced last July. That compares to just over 700 who quit in the same three months a year earlier.

We know the smoking ban wasn't to everybody's taste. Some publicans have seen a fall in trade. Some smokers resent what they see as the nanny state interfering in their right to have a cigarette with their pint.

Nevertheless, the ban clearly spurred hundreds of people to quit. That has to be good news.

Whatever the arguments about an interfering state, the fact is smoking kills. On average, a smoker's life is 14 years shorter than a non-smoker's, says Margaret Hewitson, of the North Yorkshire Stop Smoking Service.

There are those who are prepared to make that sacrifice in order to continue with a habit they genuinely enjoy.

But there are many who are sick and tired of their addiction, and would love to give up if they could. Smoke-free pubs and restaurants have clearly helped many do so. They are also healthier and more pleasant for the rest of us.

For those reasons alone, the ban has to be considered a success.