No More Puffs

The word is that smoking is to be banned in all parts of all courthouses shortly (although this may only just squeeze in ahead of a more general Government ban on the foul weed).

I have mixed feelings about this. I am a lifelong non-smoker, but I know that smoking is especially common among the sort of people the court has to deal with. Hanging about in a court as witness, defendant or whatever, is a highly stressful experience, and it seems a little harsh to deprive nicotine addicts of its comforts at such a time. We presently provide a smoking room with decent extractor fans for those waiting, and another for staff and magistrates. Inevitably people will gravitate outside the building for a drag - we shall need to ensure that we keep the magistrates and staff away from the defendants and their supporters. I also have a hunch that our ushers are going to have to scour the street before calling on each case in the future.