RECENTLY I placed the question: Breast-feeding or smoking in public?" on the discussion boards of more than 25 newspapers.

I asked which is more harmful: smoking in public or breast-feeding in public.

Of course we know which is more harmful. But in reality which is more appropriate?

One of my favourite comments was how sad it was we forced a mother into a dirty toilet stall to breast-feed, while we allowed smokers to blow toxic smoke in our faces.

This topic continues to get an amazing number of hits and comments. In fact the Kansas City Star received 406 replies.

Regretfully, smoking in public is more acceptable and appropriate in our America than breast-feeding. Which is more appropriate in Lancashire?

MIKE SAWYER, Executive Director, I Will Never Use Tobacco, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.