I live in Scotland where a ban on smoking in enclosed spaces has been introduced this year with the same lack of fuss that they had when they introduced it in Ireland.

Well we do have the odd desperate bugger huddled in the rain frantically sucking in their nicotine fix but it is wonderful (as a non smoker) to sit in our new smoke free pubs.

Anyway Pro and anti-smoking groups alike have today criticised a European Union ruling that companies can legally refuse to employ smokers.

The European Commission said the EU's wide-ranging anti-discrimination laws did not apply to tobacco users. It was responding to concerns raised about a job advertisement placed by an Irish e-commerce firm which warned "smokers need not apply".

Vladimir Spidla, the commissioner for employment, social affairs and equal opportunities, said: "EU anti-discrimination law prohibits discrimination on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin, disability, age, sexual orientation and religion and belief in employment and other fields.

"A job advertisement saying that 'smokers need not apply' would not seem to fall under any of the above mentioned prohibited grounds."

As someone who had to spend most of the 1970's choking on the smoke produced by the cigarettes of one particularly obnoxious witch at work .....
Yippeee!

Geordie, is it true that in Scotland it is now law, or shortly will be law, that no-one is allowed to smoke in their OWN CAR???

I have nothing against smoke free pubs, and smoking areas in restaurants, etc. and since I have stopped smoking now, I don't object to breathing clean air, BUT it is going a bit TOO FAR to stop people smoking in their own cars.

I chose to pollute my home and car for many years, and if I was beig FORCED to stop smoking in the confines of my own house and car, I would NOT be best pleased, to say the least.

Also in this town, there's an on-the-spot fine for anyone dropping a cigarette butt in the street (or any kind of litter, but most cases reported so far have been cigarette butts)

Well what else are you gonna do with it. Put the *beep* butt in your pocket?

u think thats bad YO-YO's have been banned in Blackpool (My HOmetown)

You better HAD, Nick, our local paper was full of cases this Friday, and all of them got a fine of £75 on-the-spot, no questions asked.

Welcome to nanny state Britian, please drive your electric car carefully.

HUH?

If on that happened here too, but nooo. For a bunch of slackers, Aussies sure can bitch.

I would much prefere it if smokes where just made illegal altogether.