Smoking Is Banning an Effective Measure to Discourage People

Smoking: Is Banning an Effective Measure to Discourage People? Nowadays all people seem to be aware of the health risks smoking entails. Yet the number of smokers is not decreasing. In some countries it has brought about some drastic measures such as banning smoking altogether in the offices and in public places. But is it actually an effective way to fight smoking? My attitude to such measures is ambivalent. On the one hand, it certainly benefits non-smokers, who often have to put up with the cigarette smoke in public places and at work. It is common knowledge that regular passive smoking can be as detrimental to our health as active. So, as a non-smoker mindful of my health, I find the banning policy beneficial. However, if we consider it from the point of view of the smokers, it deprives them of places for smoking. By prohibiting it in public places, we will not manage to discourage them from this habit. The only result that would be achieved is that they would be smoking at home more often and endanger the health of their families. Therefore, when we ban public smoking, we should introduce special places for smokers, where they will not be able to harm those, who do not approve of this indulgence. If we want to wage war against smoking, we should use a whole complex of measures. For instance, if the government undertook the expense of profes sional psychological and medical treatment, many people would be more willing to do away with this bad habit. To sum up, prohibition has never managed to