The Dundee Courier yesterday invited Forest to respond to the following initiative:

Smokers are being encouraged to stub it out at home as the Smoke Free Homes initiative launches across Tayside.

The scheme asks smokers to acknowledge the affect their habit has on others and encourages them to sign up to make their home smoke free ...

The Tayside Smoke Free Homes scheme encourages people to sign up to either a GOLD or SILVER promise to help keep their home smoke free.

The GOLD promise means you agree to no smoking in the house, while signing up to the SILVER status promises that smoking will be confined to one room in the house and never in front of children.

My response:

"This is so patronising. No-one should be told how to behave in their own homes.

"Most smokers are considerate to those around them, especially children. They don't need to sign pledges to change their behaviour.

"Adults resent being lectured or treated like children and this scheme does both.

"If campaigners don't want people to smoke at home they should support separate, well-ventilated smoking rooms in pubs and clubs.

"Tobacco is a legal product and consumers must be allowed to smoke somewhere without this constant harassment."

I'm not sure if a report will appear. I got the feeling that, like me, the paper thought the whole thing was a bit ridiculous.

We'll see.

Update: A report did appear - Smokers encouraged to stub out at home - but without a quote from Forest. And me a Dundee United supporter too!