I have just been on the BBC Radio Leeds lunchtime phone-in.
Bradford Royal Infirmary, which banned smoking on its grounds in 2006, has today "admitted defeat" (the BBC's words) and reinstated smoking shelters.
So much for Stoptober!
Apparently patients and visitors were ignoring the ban and congregating around the entrance to the building.
I described it as a sensible, pragmatic and, above all, caring decision. I did however add that, in terms of the shelter they allow, regulations on outdoor smoking shelters are needlessly restrictive ("pigs are treated better").
I was the first guest so I didn't hear the rest of the programme but I understand they were going to discuss the more general subject of smoking outside.
Before I finished I therefore made the point that there are no health grounds on which to ban smoking outside and if you don't like the fact that so many people are lighting up outside there's an easy solution to the 'problem' – support separate smoking rooms in pubs, clubs, offices and, yes, even hospitals.