Smoking in public enclosed spaces in Wales could be stubbed out by 2008 if the Assembly has its way. A new report out last week says smoking in our pubs and clubs has got to be consigned to the ashtray of history. Andy Doyle reports

WHETHER it's the opening bars of Cigarettes and Alcohol by Oasis or Humphrey Bogart striking a light and asking Sam to play it again, ciggies are etched into our collective cultural psyche.

But over the last 30 years the weed has been under a sustained and ever increasing attack from the anti-smoking lobby.

Numbers of smokers have dropped dramatically, and in 2003 New York banned all smoking in enclosed public places, with the threat of a $1,000 fine for violators.

Last year Ireland banned smoking in all work places - which effectively banned it in all pubs and restaurants.

The Vintners Federation of Ireland has estimated 7,500 jobs were lost since the ban was introduced.

But it remains unclear whether this was a direct effect of the ban, since the tourism authority says visitor levels are up, and reports a "steady" level of employment in the hospitality sector in 2004, compared with 2003.

In its report, published last week, the Assembly's committee on smoking in public places concluded there would be no significant impact on the economy in Wales, pointing out that the tourist industry in Ireland had remained healthy and appeared to have in fact benefited by promoting its new "cleaner" image.

According to the British Medical Association, passive smoking increases the risk of lung cancer by 20-30 per cent and the risk of heart disease by 25-35 per cent.

That's why it has to go according to chair of the committee Val Lloyd.

Last week she said: "I believe our recommendations can make a significant impact on the health of the people of Wales."

The committee's report said that people now needed to be protected from the health risks associated with passive smoking.

The report goes on to detail how filtration and air cleaning systems do not completely remove the risk.

In the past Blaenau Gwent's independent MP Peter Law has been very vocal in his opposition to a ban.

Last year he said he would fight any potential ban, describing it as a "sinister attack on poor communities".

But he admitted the tide was turning.

He said: "I am a realist - it looks like this is going to happen. I just don't think minorities should be penalised in this way.

"There is an overwhelming majority who would like to see smoking banned in public spaces. But I think people still need to take into account what that means to businesses and the minorities who will be penalised."

John Price, secretary of the Licensed Victuallers (Wales) Ltd said: "First of all everyone has their own free will.

"If you don't want to go into a bar where people are smoking you don't have to, this is about freedom of choice.

"What the people behind this don't realise is that most of the pubs we represent only have one bar, so you going to take 60-70 per cent of people away.

"It's not as if you can just replace them - you won't, that pub will close."

Pub chain JD Wetherspoon is already starting to ban smoking from its pubs.

A spokesman said all 650 outlets would be smoke-free by 2008. He said: "We would welcome the ban and consider ourselves well ahead of the game."