FOREST : “ THE VOICE AND FRIEND OF THE SMOKER ”
Other groups representing smokers have come and gone , but FOREST keeps battling on
Simon Clark , Director of FOREST
Simon Clark , Director of FOREST - the Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco - is clear about why his hard-working lobby group needs to exist .
“ Smokers ,” he says , “ have faced a raft of regulation in recent years that has left many lawabiding adults feeling harassed , discriminated against and marginalised . It ’ s vital that smokers are not forgotten and have a voice . We work hard to achieve that by maintaining a high profile in the media , through our campaigns and as the ‘ voice of the smoker ’ to government .”
Simon is rarely out of the media . FOREST is now the ‘ go-to ’ body for comment and interviews to balance the constant anti-smoking
The lunch was deliciously catered by Mark Grove and his team at Cook & Butler and we cracked along at a goodly pace . Our guests were admirably campaigning and pressure for yet stop . The smoker is too often introduced by Liveryman Fran Morrison and our more legislation by groups such ignored and must have a voice . Principal Guest , Tim Wonnacott gave a generous and as ASH ( Action on Smoking and We will go on supporting freedom very humorous reply to which I responded initially
Health ). Last year alone , FOREST and choice .” by drenching poor Tim in a glass of water - he was achieved over 2,500 mentions , very kind about it ( sorry Tim !). I was very pleased quotes and appearances in UK
Recently FOREST commissioned to show off the newly found Livery Grant of Arms media . It has a prominent website , an academic study into why and Letters Patent which have been missing for many http :// www . forestonline . org , people smoke . The lead author years - our Clerk tenaciously sought them out , and issues a stream of news releases was Dr Neil McKeganey , director the new Immediate Past Master , Chris Allen , and his and Tweets , and runs campaigns of the Centre for Substance Use IPM , Mark Gower-Smith have funded a beautiful representation and they are now resplendent in frames
to engage the public . Simon also Research , an independent research maintains a prolific blog : http :// team that has carried out studies carved with tobacco leaves ( or close to ); Sandra also taking-liberties . squarespace . com . for bodies such as the World located a huge banner Health not Organisation seen since 1985 , the and Medical Angus The group ’ s campaigns Menzies have , Clerk to the Research Master Council Mariners and and several never shy included ‘ Fight For of Choice a challenge ’, a saw to government it that it was departments displayed on . The the 3-year battle against Quarterdeck the ban on . study , ‘ The Pleasure of Smoking ’, smoking in public places , and confirmed something that is Whilst all this was going on , apparently biblicalstyle downpours were being had all over London
‘ Hands Off Our Packs ’, launched seldom researched : that smokers in 2012 to combat plain packaging are not just “ addicts ”, as the antismoking lobby often suggest , but
- oblivious to all that drama we ended our lunch of tobacco products . ‘ Hands Off and trooped back to the quarterdeck where Coffee , Our Packs ’ was FOREST ’ s most that a great many adults choose to
Cigars , and Cognac awaited us ( I did mention that successful campaign to date in smoke because they actually enjoy our Livery enjoyed dining on the High C ’ s ..) and engaging with the public . It raised it . which seemed to hit the mark – Liveryman Jemma over 250,000 signatures opposing
Freeman had kindly provided the torpedo cigars plain packs from members of
More than three quarters of the and had had them placed in souvenir tubes with our the public , while 53,000 people smokers surveyed saw themselves Crest emblazoned it . Several of us also sported signed a letter to No . 10 Downing continuing to smoke well into a limited edition Livery Smoking hat - originally
Street – figures that significantly the future , and almost ( 95 %) conceived as a sort of shooting hat , it serves its outnumbered the tobacco control said their reason for smoking was purpose so well as a “ team ” hat , that of the twenty lobby . enjoyment . Over a third indicated ordered , but one remained that smoking by the was close part of of the their day ! But these campaigns Thank , despite you the to the Master personal Mariners identity for , and allowing over half us the support they raised use from of the citizens venue , to said Tim social for being stigma a perfect was one Principal of the and a good number Guest of MPs , and , for everyone aspects attending of smoking and that giving they my liked failed to stop the policies year such being a special least start ,. second only to cost . introduced . So is FOREST ’ s work ultimately in vain ? Simon admits
Says Simon : “ It ’ s perhaps it is hard going : “ We are up against extraordinary that this subject The Master a well-funded , highly organised is so little researched . It may anti-tobacco lobby , many parts seem common sense that a lot of it backed by public money – of people actually like smoking , taxpayers ’ money ! But we won ’ t but this study provides hard data .
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