A new visual cigarette illusion

I've never considered myself to be a militant former smoker, even though I often look at smokers and find myself thinking they're awfully anachronistic.

Previous, failed, miserable attempts at giving up were characterized by my habit of disguising jealous anger against people still puffing as lip-curling contempt.

My current (two years and still, unfortunately, counting) attempt has been punctuated instead by mild concern or worried pity, which people find a great deal more annoying.

The outbreak this week, after the Commons vote to ban smoking in public places, of mutterings about "the human right to smoke" and "an assault on freedom of choice", has inspired in me a huge tsunami of such patronizing feelings.