Smoking Facists

I am so sick and tired of people who don't like something telling me that I can't do it, want to do it or watch someone else doing it on the screen.

The latest bat-shit crazy idea to hit the headlines is that any film with a character smoking in it should be given an 18 certificate.

I don't smoke, I don't like smoking and despite my reservations about the smoking ban I like going into pubs where no-one is smoking. But come on. Banning smoking on screen? Don't be bloody stupid. I accept that perhaps smoking in a Disney film shouldn't be encouraged, I don't think the sight of Shrek lighting up would be in any way responsible. But really - how many films have smoking scenes? I've not noticed any in the films I've been to see recently - genocide in Burma, bank robberies, many people having their throats cut, but not smoking. Doesn't mean there hasn't been smoking in them, just I've not noticed it.

One film with lots of smoking was Good Night and Good Luck - set in a time and place when smoking was the norm. Do we excise all references to historical accuracy to satisfy these morons? What about Casablanca? Do we re-classify our classics? Of course not.

If you're worried about your kids smoking and want to stop them seeing films with smoking in them then don't let them go to the cinema. People have to start taking responsibility for themselves and their families rather than creating more rules for us all to follow.