Sir, – When will the filthy habit of smoking be banned from public areas?
It is the most disgusting socially unacceptable accepted habit on our streets.
I often walk along the Murraygate in Dundee only to find myself ina cloud of smelly smoke emitted from a leather-skinned Dundonianas they cough up thesickening results of their ninth fag of the morning.
Having coughed up this offensive material, they then look for a place to dispose of it, usually on the pavement.
If you have to stand waiting for a bus in the Seagate, Whitehall Street, Commercial Street or Nethergate,you will know what I mean when I say that the whole area smells of smoke.
Given the number of bus stops, shops andrestaurants on these streets, surely thereare laws being broken every day.
Apart from setting a bad example to young people, the smokers will at the very least cost the NHS millions of pounds and assist in the eventual collapse of the service.
So often I hear the excuse that it is a habit people cannot break.
If this is so, then smokers should be treated as addicts, just as excessive, habitual drinkers are treated as addicts. Both cost the NHS a fortune.
If we can ban drinking outdoors in the citycentre then there is no reason why we cannot do the same with smoking.
Smoking is smelly, it tastes awful, it ruins people’s health and it costs everyone money because of the health problems.
It looks ridiculous and it causes revulsion to non-smokers who have to breathe it in.
In other words, it is anti-social in every way and sociable in no way.
Smokers, do us all, and yourselves, a big favour. Give it up, or at least do it in private.
Smell up your own homes and allow the innocent non-smokers, including children, to breathe fresh air.
Arthur Gall. 14d Pitalpin Court, Dundee.
Mr Cameron an inspiration
Sir, I was most impressed with David Cameron’s Christmas address to the nation in which he urged people to reflect on Christianvalues.
I feel it was a very well thought-out and sensitive speech.
Traditionally this is a Christian country and, over the years asChristians, we haveseen our freedom of speech threatened by equality and diversity and ourselves beendiscriminated againstfor defending what the Bible says on numerous issues.
It is no surprise that David Cameron has been vilified for what hehas expressed by many individuals and organisations such as secularist societies.
This would not have happened 30 years ago.
Things have changed for Christians and not for the better.
It seems that in today’s society, every minority has a right to free speech, but, should a Christian exercise their right todo so, they come under condemnation.
There have been many cases, too many to mention in recent times, where Christians have done just that and faced persecution and even prosecution.
It is time this country got back to basicChristian values and stopped living in fear of what minorities would think of our faith.
Well said DavidCameron.
Gordon Kennedy. 117 Simpson Square, Perth.
Increase fines for littering
Sir, – Scottish Ministers are considering aproposal from RSPB Scotland and others to charge shoppers a 30p deposit for bottled and canned products.
This would bean administrativenightmare.
Those in favour say that the charging forcarrier bags was asuccess but that was simple to operate bycharging 5p at the till.
Scottish localauthorities have alreadyinvested heavily inbottle banks and they are successful.
If there is a chargefor bottles then people will not use bottle banks but will queue up to redeem their bottles and cans.
More car journeys and more emissions.
How many will clean the cans before returning them?
Council workers could face redundancy so what do the unions think of this scheme?
Households already have recycling bins which accept cans and some households also have bottle uplifts.
Those who throw away cans and bottles will never be deterred bythe 30p charge but increasing the littering fine to £500 would help.
Extra wardens on the beat would become self-financing and wouldstop the lunchtime throwaways, cigarettelitter and dog fouling.
Clark Cross. 138 Springfield Road, Linlithgow.
Bright futurefor theatre
Sir, – Gardyne Theatre, Dundee, has held another successful year with a full and variedprogramme.
As well as presenting professional shows of high quality, the theatre supports community and amateur groups byproviding a first-class facility for performers and audiences.
All this is achieved through the support of our audiences along with funding from localcharitable trusts as the theatre receives no central mainstream funding.
We are extremely grateful for this support.
We are confident next year’s programme will be as exciting as in previous years and we look forward to providing a local theatre which contributes to the wide range of cultural activities in the City of Dundee.
Next year will be the year that Jackie the Musical will go on tour and already this show has generated a huge amount of interest.
We are confident 2016 will provide many great evenings of entertainment and we lookforward to welcoming you at the Gardyne.
Bill Barr. Chairman, Gardyne Theatre, 2 Hamilton Street, Broughty Ferry.
Hyperbole of climate warriors
Sir, – I wonder how many of your readers have noticed that thelittle word “since” has become synonymous with global warming in recent times.
I read that December 15, was the hottest since 1972.
I also learned that we have experienced the hottest December 2since 1948. Then we have experienced the driest since, the wettest since, the windiest since, the coldest since, all in this year of Our Lord 2015.
I am emboldened to predict that we will experience many more sinces in the year to come.
And since the New Year to come is the only New Year since the one this year, I confidently predict there will be another one next year and defy any global warming supporter to prove me wrong.
John J Watson. 39 Elie Avenue, Broughty Ferry.
Folly of Fife library policy
Sir, – Fife Council spent £2.5 million wrecking Kirkcaldy’s main library, turning the large reading room (which was always jam-packed at exam times) into a cafe when a perfectly good, profitable cafe already existed in the museum side.
Perhaps this is why Fife Council needs to close 16 libraries in order to save £571,000.
Moira Brown. 142 Gray Street, Broughty Ferry.
Focus on crisis facing Scotland
Sir, – The price of oil has dropped below $38 a barrel which will compel oil companies to seek further cuts in costs (jobs) in the comingyear and accelerate decommissioning in order to remain viable.
Rather than continuing to make silly claims that oil is “merely a bonus”, the latestdownward movement in the price of oil should be of great concern to the Scottish Government, especially when oneconsiders that Aberdeen produces an astonishing 28% of the GDP of Scotland with only 4% of the population.
Although we inAberdeen have been through difficultdownturns before (1987) and recovered, it feels very different this time round. Why?
Apart from Aberdeen becoming a “one trick pony” (mainly oil)we now have an SNPgovernment focusing exclusively on breaking up the UK and severing the very financialstability we desperately need from a much larger UK economy (£2 trillion GDP) to ensure our recovery.
It is high time theScottish Governmentgot to grips with theseriousness of thesituation and spent less time manufacturing “outrage” at every opportunity to deflect attention away from the real issues affecting the future of Scotland.
Ian Lakin. Pinelands, Murtle Den Road, Milltimber, Aberdeen.