I NOTE the call for minimum pricing of cigarettes ("Call for tobacco minimum pricing", The Herald, November 23), which was vehemently opposed by Simon Clark of the smokers' organisation Forest. I am disgusted at his group's irresponsible attitude.

According to Mr Clark, this discriminates against the poorest who will be hardest hit. Well, the poorest are already discriminated against by having the worst health record and lowest life expectancy. So the ridiculous Forest attitude is to campaign against making fags more expensive, which might, just might, improve the appalling health outcomes in our poorest citizens, who continue to make up the majority of smokers.

I am fully aware that the black market is thriving and an increase in the cost of legitimate cigarettes will be good news for these suppliers, but short of giving cigarettes away there will always be a black market.

Of course the cigarette companies need to fight their commercial corner, although why we let these purveyors of death continue to make vast profits is quite beyond me – silly me, I am forgetting the tax take for HM Government.

Forest has no such excuse. Its promotion of the pernicious weed is inexcusable and its leaders should be ashamed of themselves for cloaking their organisation in the idea of freedom of choice. How many current fag addicts started in their early or even pre-teens and were well and truly hooked long before they could make a reasoned decision?

Forbes Dunlop,

1 Dorchester Court, Glasgow.