As the President of the international pro-smoking group FORCES and the founder of Smokers of the World Unite here in New Zealand I was not happy about having to enter that environment. I do not freguent other such establishments because I don't like being discriminated against because of my choices in life, so why should I do it in a courtroom.

Well a light came on and I thought I could use this to my advantage to fight the nico-nazi's and sent a press release to the radio news and papers telling them what I planned to do. I gave a vague outline saying I was going to set a precedent and that if my plan worked 25% of any countries population, namely smokers, would no longer be able to be sequested for jury duty and I would do this using the anti-intolerant industries own agendas.

The media turned out in force when I arrived at the courthouse. It was radio news on the half-hour all morning. The TV camera's and newspaper reporters were there shoving camera's and microphones in my face. "can we ask what you are going to do Joy, keep smoking for the camera's please...well light another". Amazing really most of these media had refused to print any of my press releases before this.

I informed them I was sick of being trearted like a pariah because I smoked yet people still wanted my services or my money, but if I wanted to indulge my habit I was forced out into all weathers like a dog. So I was going to tell the judge if selected on a jury panel that I wanted to be excused as a smoker for the following reasons.

• 1. That the world governments had decided that tobacco was a drug. That makes me an addict. Other addict of any other drug cannot serve on a jury so this should also exclude from now on, smokers.
• 2. That any other addict if employed in a work situation in countries such as America must be supplied with a room to "fix" in when and if necessary. But smokers were not given the same privilege thus I saw this as discriminatory. Governments knowing the nature of tobacco and the use thereof in the majority of smokers needs the cravings to be satisfied on a regular basis, but smokers are segregated, made to stand 25' from a building in some cases if that isn't tantamount to fascism I don't know what is?
• 3. I told the media that I would tell the judge that I felt highly uncomfortable in a smoke-free environment and that it made me feel like a secondclass citizen. It would be impossible for me to do my job properly for the defence or the proscecution if I was put into a stressful situation where maybe I was the one not agreeing with the other jurors verdict. Under stress and when I need to relax a cigarette helps me to think more clearly. The response to this statement always brings the reply,"why don't you take some prescription drug or other to do that.?"

Although I never got selected for a jury, I consider the precedent has been set as a reporter spoke to the lawyers in the case I was in the first ballot for. They by then had heard on the news of my stand and all said they were going to challenge me.

So I ask all smokers to use this avenue and refuse jury duty for the same reason. It is one way to let the nico-nazi's and the intolerant know you are sick of being treated like a sub-human for doing something deemed legal. Let them know you can shut them out too.