Remember in the day, when cigarette smoking was curtailed? Remember the furor and excitement? That was 1994. Smoking bans are a good thing.
Stats Canada put out an interesting study that seems to support the claim that bans on smoking in the workplace and public places (as well as banning it in homes), has had a positive effect on folks quitting smoking, which I think is excellent (as a reformed smoker).
Smoking bans Influence on smoking prevalence, and it has an excellent synopsis of the findings:
Since 2000, Canadians smokers have faced a growing number of restrictions on where they can smoke. Bans at home and at work were associated with a reduced likelihood of being in the initial “stages of change,” and an increased likelihood of being in the latter stages. Smokers who reported newly smoke-free homes or workplaces were more likely to quit over the next two years, compared with those who did not encounter such restrictions at home or at work.
My dislike of smoking is not purely a health issue it is also a financial issue. How can folks afford the $10-$15 a day for their smokes when I get all flustered spending my $1.59 for my Tim’s coffee? I realize this is a physical addiction, but the way I quit was realizing how much of my money was going up in smoke (no, not the Cheech and Chong movie).
Will my kids smoke? Certainly hope not, and I most certainly will not subsidize it either. Will I smoke again? I don’t think so.
I’m all for not smoking in workplaces and public places such as restaurants but telling me I can’t smoke in my own home or my own car is a bit much. If you’re going to this extent of restriction then the Canadian government should simple stop the hypocrisy and just outlaw the sale of them outright.
I agree that its a horrible addiction both health-wise and money-wise – quitting time coming soon.
Good for her!!!
–c8j
One of the things I have my clients do is track every dime for 6 months. In my last group of seminar-series participants, one woman got so sick of plugging in $8 for smokes, day after day after day, that she quit! And she hasn’t smoked for about 5 months now. That may be my best success story ever!