Let no-one say I don’t put my job first.
On Thursday night I should have been in Dundee for the first leg of the Scottish Premiership play-off between Dundee United and St Mirren.
My original plan was to spend four or five days in Scotland and go to both matches including the second leg in Paisley today.
However, tickets for visiting supporters at today’s game quickly sold out to season ticket holders and although I could have got a ticket for Thursday’s game the match clashed with a work-related event.
Therefore, instead of cheering on United’s latest promotion attempt, I found myself at a drinks reception in London celebrating the tenth anniversary of the launch of Blu, the e-cigarette brand now owned by Imperial Brands.
Hosted by Imperial CEO Alison Cooper, the event took place in the Radio Rooftop Bar at the ME London Hotel, a swanky five-star hotel just a few yards from Bush House, former home of the BBC World Service.
With panoramic views over London, it was an impressive and very modern location for this milestone event.
Hard to believe though that Blu was launched ten years ago. In 2009 I knew almost nothing about e-cigarettes. Indeed it wasn't until January 2010 that I even mentioned the device on this blog.
At that point I just wanted some feedback and I got some interesting replies – see Wanted: comments on e-cigarettes.
Since then I have frequently defended e-cigarettes in interviews and in print to the point that Forest has sometimes been alone in opposing vaping bans ('Pro-vaping' advocates silent on vaping bans).
Recently, in response to yet another study about vaping, I told the Guardian:
“The study shows there is nothing to fear from the growth of vaping. The results support our view that government should ease restrictions on e-cigarette advertising.
It’s time too for local authorities to lead by example and lift restrictions on the use of e-cigarettes in the workplace and other public areas.
Last month I responded to a request from a journalist who asked me whether vaping is a comparable substitute for smoking by saying:
"E-cigarettes have helped 1.5 million smokers quit smoking completely and for many of them vaping is a more than adequate substitute for smoking. Some actually prefer vaping to smoking.
"The problem is that for many smokers e-cigarettes may be safer but they are not as pleasurable as traditional cigarettes. That is the challenge the vaping companies have to address and to their credit they are working hard to do so.
"Ultimately it's a question of choice. It's great that less harmful products are available to smokers but if adults make an informed decision to smoke instead of vaping that choice must be respected by government and the vaping industry."
On Thursday night it was noticeable that neither speaker - Imperial CEO Alison Cooper and the founder of Blu (an Australian whose name I didn’t catch) - belittled smoking or, by implication, smokers.
No-one said "The goal is for us to get [smokers] to stop" or “There is no reason for anyone to smoke any more" (Philip Morris managing director Peter Nixon on taking the smoke out of smoking). Instead they spoke of offering smokers “alternatives” which is perfectly reasonable.
Unlike Philip Morris, which is relentlessly (and offensively) anti-smoking to the point where the company’s social media campaigns are becoming a bit of a joke, Imperial, British American Tobacco and JTI seem to understand that insulting their core customers - the very people they want to switch to their alternative products - is not going to win awards for Most Intelligent Marketing Strategy.
Anyway, I was happy to be invited to mark Blu's tenth anniversary because if Forest has a future it's essential that we evolve and represent consumers of all nicotine products, not just smokers.
Our USP however is that we will never abandon those who enjoy smoking and don't want to quit or switch to alternative products. I hope that's clear!
Meanwhile, back in Dundee, Thursday's match finished 0-0 in front of United’s largest crowd for many years. The second leg awaits.
Update: The second leg finished 1-1 after extra time. St Mirren won 2-0 on penalties after United missed the FOUR penalties they took.
And while that was happening United’s Twitter account was hacked and deleted. (Later restored.)
Thanks for the fantastic support last night 🧡🖤 On to Sunday now 👊 #Everything pic.twitter.com/XE5q7a1Jv1
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) May 24, 2019