Smoking kills. It's an expensive, obnoxious addiction which takes the lives not only of those in thrall to it but of others who just happen to be in the way.

We all know this, and the medics who see the devastation wrecked by the drug tobacco are constantly trying to reinforce the message. It is estimated that as many as 120,000 people die in the UK each year because of smoking related diseases - and an estimated 1,000 deaths are caused by breathing in someone else's cigarette smoke.

The statistics are shocking - and they demolish any arguments put forward by the cynical pro-smoking lobby. So why are we even debating whether or not to ban smoking in pubs and restaurants. There is simply no question, the answer is obvious. As a specialist in tobacco control for Leeds North West Primary Care Trust, Scott Crosby is trying to encourage employers to safeguard the health of their staff by voluntarily making their workplaces smoke-free.

He is also one of the many who are calling on the Government to follow Ireland's lead and make the restrictions compulsory - and he is absolutely right to do so. We know this is an appalling drug which is wrecking people's lives, and we should take any action we can to curb its devastation.

It is morally indefensible to stand by and watch people being killed while the tobacco companies rake in the profits. But it is not just non-smokers who would benefit from the ban. Statistics released by cigarette company Gallaher show a dramatic fall in sales since the introduction of the restrictions in Ireland earlier this year.

The evidence is clear. A ban reduces the number of cigarettes smoked and reduces the potential for young people to become ensnared by the drug.

And we can forget that old chestnut about freedom of choice. There is no freedom for those who are in the grip of this overwhelming addiction. For every smoker who claims to enjoy the habit there are countless others who are desperate to stop. The Government has to do everything within its power to help them.

The imposition of a workplace ban is the very least they should do and If even one life is saved by it then it will have been worthwhile.