The last drag

The news that the last tobacco plant in the UK is to close in 2017 after 150 years of business is a tragedy for the 877 people who work at the factory, but reduced cigarette consumption in the Western world is an inexorable trend and a positive one.  An EU anti-smoking directive may have sounded the death knell for JTI Gallaher's manufacturing in County Antrim but social disapproval and reduced revenues have been steadily building up since Richard Doll made his report linking smoking to lung cancer back in the 1950s.  This was coming sooner of later.
I remember the obituary for former Bank of England governor, Eddie George (a Euro-sceptic in the true sense of this label).  Famous for his chain-smoking, George did at one point try to quit for his health.  On a tour of the Ballymena plant that will close by 2017, his eyes goggled at all the cigarettes being churned out and was back puffing away before the day was out.  An amusing anecdote but this is the addictive and destructive nature of manufactured tobacco and though this will hit Northern Ireland's economy, I cannot fully support First Minister Peter Robinson's contention that this is 'terrible news' - sad for the families of the staff but not beyond that.