Currently at Stansted waiting for a flight to Dublin.
I may (or may not) be on the news later today talking about smoking in cars with children. I recorded an interview for the BBC yesterday in anticipation of some announcement today, but no-one seemed to know what it might be.
Scotland, of course, is pushing ahead with a ban. Yesterday Lib Dem MSP Jim Hume presented a Bill to the Scottish Parliament that has the support of the Scottish Labour party and probably the Scottish Government although the latter is waiting to complete its own consultation on the issue.
Hume insists it's all about "the children", giving them the healthiest start in life. Odd, then, that he retweeted a tweet by someone who supports a ban on smoking in all private vehicles, regardless of the presence of children.
Via Twitter Forest asked Hume whether he supports a total ban but, so far, he's ignored our question.
Yesterday I was on Morning Call (BBC Radio Scotland) discussing the issue for half an hour although my contribution amounted to no more than a few minutes.
Most of what I said is summed up by these comments I gave the Dundee Evening Telegraph, which described me as an "expert"!
"Legislation to ban smoking in cars with children is taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
"Smokers don't need to be told how to behave. The overwhelming majority wouldn't dream of lighting a cigarette in a car if a child is present. Enough is enough."
"Criminalising it will have very little impact other than stigmatising smokers even more than they are already.
"The police must have better things to do with their time.
"This is yet another example of politicians interfering in people's lives for no good reason. It's gesture politics.
"The next step will be a ban on smoking in all private vehicles followed by a ban on smoking in the home."
But back to Morning Call. Also on the programme was John Watson of ASH Scotland which has been advising Hume on his Bill.
(How political is that? Further evidence of taxpayers' money being used by a 'charity' to lobby government. Shameless.)
In support of a ban John quoted research in which 25 per cent of children claim to be exposed to tobacco smoke in cars.
Needless to say this "evidence"is entirely anecdotal hence our belief that proper research should be carried out – similar to the UCD study in Dublin – to ascertain the facts not the fiction.
(UCD monitored over 2,200 cars in Dublin's rush hour and recorded only eight drivers smoking and just one child exposed to tobacco smoke in the car.)
Anyway, there was light relief in the form of this Twitter exchange:
#morningcall @simonclark_ from Forest disagrees with the potential smoking ban in cars. He says that smokers in Scotland know how to behave
— BBC Radio Scotland (@BBCRadioScot) December 16, 2014@BBCRadioScot @simonclark_ sure it's no Forres?....get Scottish place-names right at least....
— Willie Farrelly (@bigwilliebhoy) December 16, 2014@bigwilliebhoy @simonclark_ Forest is short for Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco
— BBC Radio Scotland (@BBCRadioScot) December 16, 2014@BBCRadioScot @simonclark_ well say that then...eejits
— Willie Farrelly (@bigwilliebhoy) December 16, 2014