No smoking

Ireland's ban on smoking in restaurants is doing well, Norway's ban has just started. Sweden decided to ban smoking in restaurant starting 01.06.2005. In the Netherlands the matter is under discussion in the parliament. Finnish minister of Social Affairs and Health said it would be nice to ban smoking in restaurants. Never thought I'd live to see the day...

I wonder when will smoking be banned from all the public places in all the Western world? I am starting to believe that it will be "when" and not "if". Maybe in 10 years the fact that people were once allowed to smoke in restaurants will seem like ancient history, just like now the fact that people used to be allowed to smoke on planes seems like ancient history.

Can you see that I am in an optimistic mood today?