Quit smoking or you'll be out in the cold

There are some smokers who believe that it's their right to smoke, that they're not hurting anyone but themselves.

But they are wrong, and many new laws aim to make smokers aware of that fact and prompt them to quit smoking.

As times change and social mores change, it's important for smokers to know that if they don't quit smoking soon, they will be left out in the cold, maybe literally.

The passage of new laws and their effects on smokers are hoped to prompt many more to quit smoking.

New laws

Over the past several years, there have been a number of laws that are designed to keep people safe from smokers. Many bars and restaurants are now smoke-free; public transportation is also considered a smoke-free zone.

The effect is to keep second-hand smoke out of public places and thereby protect the public health to a greater degree. A secondary effect is to prompt people to quit smoking.

These laws generally mandate a minimum number of feet surrounding a public place that are required by law to be smoke free. The wording of the laws and the penalties for violating the law vary from state to state, although the penalty is usually a fine, sometimes a significant one.

The effect

The overall effect of the new laws means that smoking has become more inconvenient. It means that whatever your smoking habit was as far as being in a bar or restaurant and puffing away, it's over and done with; you just can't smoke anymore in a bar or restaurant or similar establishment.

It is also hoped that some smokers decide that now is a good time to quit smoking. The inconvenience of deciding not to quit smoking is a year-round problem. In the summer, smokers must move far enough away from the building that they are standing in the hot, direct sun during daytime hours.

In the winter, smokers need to bundle up extra well to stand around outside smoking.

The overall inconvenience effect of the new anti-smoking laws is dual-edged; yes, communities want to protect their citizens from second-hand smoke, and they also want to strongly encourage people to quit smoking by making it harder for smokers to keep lighting up, regardless of where they are.

The result

The inconvenience and social ostracism of having to move to an out of the way place when you want to smoke is expected to be more than a minimum deterrent against smoking. It's expected to make life so difficult for smokers so that they quit smoking.

By forcing them outside and away from the building, it's pretty clear that anti-smoking laws are intended to protect nonsmokers (and protect smokers from themselves. Smokers must contend with the weather, especially inclement weather.

And they also have to deal with other people in their party not wanting to be so far outside or so far away from their dinner companions. For all of the hassle, it would be so much easier to just quit smoking, you'll think.

Overall, smokers really need to get in line and quit smoking. The new public health laws that prohibit smoking are beginning to take effect. By making smoking a pain, local governments and their communities are hoping to have a positive impact on their towns and villages by prompting people to quit smoking.

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