What the papers say - March 23, 2007

Greene King gets a roasting from Lewes pub goers over the removal of Harvey's beers from their favourite local, The Lewes Arms -​ Guardian​

A third of pubs in Scotland have been forced to lay off staff because of the smoking ban, industry leaders said yesterday. The Scottish Licensed Trade Association found that 34 per cent of 530 members it surveyed had let staff go in the past year - Scotsman ​

Alcohol and tobacco are more harmful than illegal drugs such as cannabis and Ecstasy, according to a new drug classification system set out by scientists. A study published today in The Lancet rates alcohol as only slightly less dangerous than Class A drugs such as heroin and cocaine - Times, Independent, Scotsman, Guardian​

Alcohol is so dangerous to health that it should be considered a class A drugs, experts have warned - Daily Mail​

The 100-day countdown to the smoking ban in England was yesterday marked by a last-gasp bid to challenge the new law. Businesses and public places must get ready for July 1, said public health minister Caroline Flint - Daily Mirror​

Mancunians spend more on alcohol at the supermarket than shoppers from any other region, according to a survey which also reveals soaring champagne sales alongside a slump in alcopops - Guardian​

Welsh pubs will become increasingly popular places for affluent young professionals to eat in after the smoking ban is introduced, a report has forecast. The total number of people visiting pubs is expected to increase by around 5 per cent as a consequence of the ban being introduced on April 2, according to a study by consumer analysts CACI - Western Mail​

A landlady and a man who came to her aid were last night recovering in hospital from being stabbed in a Fishguard pub. Police were called to the Ship and Anchor on Wednesday night after reports of a "disturbance" in the bar where landlady Diane Evans had been having trouble with a customer - Western Mail​

The casino industry predicted closures and job losses following the chancellor's unexpected increases in casino duty, as operators accused ministers of a schizophrenic attitude towards gaming - Financial Times​