Over the course of my troubled life, I have found refuge in tobacco. At times of intense stress, whether self-generated or imposed by outside forces, there has been comfort and solace in a taking a quiet moment with myself, a cigarette and a bad instant coffee.

I know smoking isn’t a safe product. My mother’s life was curtailed by a cancer that was probably the result of decades of tobacco use and – as I share some of her genes – I am conscious of the risks. Currently, as I battle a number of commercial challenges, I’ve found that a combination of vaping and an accelerated regime of running is helping me manage the associated pressure.