The Scottish Executive has decided unanimously to ban smoking in public places in Scotland. The move was agreed at Wednesday's cabinet meeting and follows the highest number of respondents to a public consultation exercise in Scotland.
A total of 53,948 people took part, underlining the depth of feeling on both sides of the debate.
Ahead of the meeting, BBC Scotland's news website asked nine people for their opinions.
ELEANOR QUINN - HARD-LINE SMOKER
Eleanor Quinn, from Edinburgh, says she is a woman who enjoys cigarettes. The 35-year-old sees no reason for the Scottish Executive to introduce a curb on smoking in public places and believes the tourism industry is dealing with the effects of passive smoking.
SAM GALBRAITH - FORMER MINISTER
Smoking bans work, says former Labour MSP Sam Galbraith. He believes that as each day passes, the link between passive smoking and lung cancer becomes all the more stronger. Mr Galbraith thinks it is time to introduce a public ban.
SIMON CLARK - THE SMOKERS' LOBBY
The Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco (Forest) was founded in 1979. Its current director Simon Clark said that instead of an outright ban, better ventilation could be introduced in pubs to reduce the smoky atmosphere.
BRIAN MONTEITH - PRO-CHOICE MSP
A ban on smoking in pubs would be illiberal, says the Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland, Brian Monteith. The former spokesman for smokers' lobby group Forest believes the answer to the debate is choice for both smokers and non-smokers.
KENNETH ANDERSON - LUNG SPECIALIST
Lung specialist Kenneth Anderson has congratulated countries which have already gone down the road of banning smoking in public places. He says he wants to see a future in which he will be able to deliver more positive news about the rate of lung cancer.
PATRICK DEVLIN - SMOKER KEEN TO QUIT
Patrick Devlin has attempted and so far failed to give up smoking. He accepts a curb on lighting up in public places is inevitable, however, he does not want to see a blanket ban. The 29-year-old music teacher from Glasgow wants to see a compromise solution.
PAUL WATERSON - BUSINESS VIEW
The Scottish Licensed Trade Association represents the interests of more than 2,000 independent licensees in Scotland. Its chief executive Paul Waterson says the SLTA backs the bid for smoking curbs, but believes a blanket ban is not the answer.
CAROLYNE RINGLAND - SMOKER WHO QUIT
Carolyne Ringland, from Glasgow, was a smoker for 23 years. She has now given up and is proud of that fact. However, although she believes smoking curbs are inevitable, she does not want to see a blanket ban introduced in Scotland's public places.
MAUREEN MOORE - NON-SMOKER'S CASE
Maureen Moore, the chief executive of anti-smoking lobby Ash, believes fears about job losses caused by a smoking ban in public places are misplaced. She says smoking in the workplace is unacceptable and harmful to staff in places like pubs.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Smoke-free bar views