In response to the Primary Care Trust's Clean Air Campaign (Evening Press May 9), I don't deny smoking is bad for your health, and agree that smokers should only smoke in designated areas.

But what began as a campaign to encourage smokers to respect the wishes of non-smokers has evolved into outright hostility by anti-smoking fanatics.

Smokers are already banned from many public buildings, including hospitals - where so-called health professionals force sick people to stand outside in freezing cold conditions "for the benefit of their own health".

People vary in their evaluations of their health needs. The attitude of Jehovah's Witnesses to blood tranfusions goes against medical opinion, but for them it equates with eternal damnation and is a very genuine concern.

There is a health risk from sexual activity, yet people take that risk everyday and we need to question the extent to which health professionals can protect us from the dangers of everyday life and make value judgements on our behalf.

Immunising children, for example, against the effects of drugs (including tobacco) is a real scientific possibility and sounds great, but wouldn't that take away basic libertarian freedoms?

Free will is very precious and ought not merely to be respected, but encouraged. Some non-smokers will argue about their rights to clean air - but it would be interesting to see how many would consider extending the clean air campaign to equally hazardous car use or industrial pollution.

I know smoking is bad and eating five portions of fruit and vegetables each day would be better for my health, but I just don't like the horrible taste of healthy food. I want to eat crispy bacon, roast duck, pork crackling, stilton cheese - all washed down with cheap lager and tasteless cigarettes.

That is my choice.

Kenny Lieske,

Balmoral Terrace, York.

Updated: 10:42 Wednesday, May 18, 2005