Articles written by Joe Jackson

This page was last updated 8 Feb. 2026. To send additions/corrections go to the contact page.

• Why should pop music have to be rebellious?
  Spiked website (UK), 27 March 2013
  
  
• I'm a lucky smoker...
  'Civil Liberties: Up In Smoke', published by Privacy International, June 2011
  Foreword by Joe Jackson
  
  
• Whatever happened to pleasure and moderation?
  The Free Society website* (UK), 3 May 2011
  Joe writes on balancing pleasure and risk by moderation, self-awareness and the recognition that everyone is different
  
  
• Dogs must be banned from all public places
  Spiked website (UK), 14 Feb 2011
  A satirical article on a 'dog ban' (same as below)
  
  
• It's a dog's life
  The Free Society website* (UK), 7 Feb 2011
  A satirical article on a 'dog ban' (same as above)
  
  
• A dozen reasons to stub out the smoking ban
  Spiked website (UK), 20 July 2010
  Joe offers 12 reasons why the smoking ban, introduced in England and Wales in July 2007, should be abolished
  
  
• Filth column: how government brands smokers and their "disgusting" habit
  The Free Society website* (UK), 16 March 2010
  on the smoking issue
  
  
• Crazy Heart: another Hollywood sermon
  Spiked website (UK), 15 March 2010
  on the film "Crazy Heart" and why drinking, smoking singers are now depicted as dangerous rather than glamorous
  
  
• Joe Jackson's New Year message
  Taking Liberties website (UK), 4 Jan 2010
  on the smoking issue
  
  
• Joe Jackson: greetings from Berlin
  Taking Liberties website (UK), 23 Aug 2009
  on the 'Save Our Pubs and Clubs' campaign
  
  
• Eight reasons not to campaign for "smoking rooms"
  FORCES International website (US), 30 Oct 2009
  
  
• How killjoys colonised Britain's public houses
  Spiked website (UK), 10 Aug 2009
  on the changes to British pubs
  
  
• Steppin' out for a smoke
  The Local – Germany's News in English (DE), 11 May 2009
  about smoking bans in Germany
  
  
• As someone who has no intention of quitting smoking...
  New York Times (US), 18 Dec 2008
  letter to the editor
  
  
• Why the anti-smoking movement is making me smoke more
  The Free Society website* (UK), 4 Nov 2008
  on smoking bans
  
  
• A small victory for common sense, but the battle goes on
  The Free Society website* (UK), 2 Aug 2008
  about the ruling of the German Constitutional Court on smoking
  
  
• Stubbed out Down Under
  The Free Society website* (UK), 16 July 2008
  about his recent oberservations in Australia
  
  
• A smoker's guide to Europe and beyond
  (in two parts)
  The Free Society website* (UK), 7 and 8 April 2008
  
  
• Sign language: health and safety uber alles!
  The Free Society website* (UK), 17 March 2008
  about his recent oberservations in the UK
  
  
• Citizen sane: observations of an angry older man
  The Free Society website* (UK), 26 Feb 2008
  mostly – but not entirely – on the smoking issue
  
  
• Gesundheit ist die neue Religion (in German)
  Tip Berlin (DE), April? 2007
  the title translates as "Health is the new religion"
  
  
• Smoke, Lies and the Nanny State
  Joe's official website, April 2007
  
  
• It is social engineering and politicises a personal choice
  The Independent (UK), 14 Feb 2006
  
  
• Joe Jackson's 2005 Tour Diary
  Taking Liberties website (UK), 10 April - 10 July 2005
  on his observations of how smoking is handled in different American and European cities
  
  
• Sir: I'd like to add a few more modern British ills...
  The Independent (UK), 20 Nov 2004
  letter to the editor
  
  
• Passive aggressive
  The Guardian (UK), 3 July 2004
  an exchange between Joe Jackson and John Britton, consultant respiratory physician at Nottingham City Hospital
  
  
• They are using 'junk science' to bully us
  The Independent (UK), 15 Feb 2004
  
  
• The Smoking Issue
  Joe's official website, 2004
  This essay first appeared on Joe's official website at the end of November 2003.
  
  
• Stubbing out? Not if I can help it
  The Daily Telegraph (UK), 28 Nov 2003
  
  
• Sir: As a cigar-smoking Englishman in New York...
  The Independent (UK), 29 Oct 2003
  letter to the editor
  
  
• Want to Smoke? Go to Hamburg
  New York Times (US), 16 May 2003
  reprinted in the International Herald Tribune, 23 May 2003, under the title "Smoke-free and unsociable: New York loses its edge"
  
  
• Video Clips: A Personal View
  Billboard (US), 16 June 1984
  Joe explains why he has stopped making music videos
  
  
• Joe Jackson's Top Ten
  Smash Hits (UK), 23 Aug 1979
  Joe lists his ten favourite tracks
  
  

*) The Free Society website went offline around February 2015