CAN I assure the Advertiser's columnist Michelle Tompkins, that although I smoked during both of my pregnancies, my ability to love and nurture my daughters was not clouded by the cigarette smoke.

Mrs Tompkins is blatantly saying that parents who smoke are bad parents.

This is definitely not the case.

Maybe I am one of the lucky ones who escapes all this scientific evidence because both of my daughters are fit, healthy, polite and respectful.

Both of my daughters have had the MMR jab, yet neither suffer from autism.

So it goes to show Mrs Tompkins that you can be a good parent and a Smoker as well.

C BELL

Swindon