While it is widely thought that making smoking illegal in common places would help in declining the number of smokers, others find that there is a need to employ other measures in order make it less popular. This essay will discuss both views. However, I believe that it banning smoking is a step into the right direction but it should be supported with other plans in parallel to effectively discourage the habit.
Advocates for making smoking illegal in public places argue that such method could help in protecting non-smokers from the dangerous effects of second hand smoke. For instance, prohibiting smoking in the public domains such as; parks, restaurants and malls, would not only help in lowering the exposure but also could restructure people to stop normalizing smoking. As a result, will break the habit in the future. For instance, countries who restricted smoking in public witnessed a huge decline in smoking rates.
On the other hand, others argue that solely banning smoking wouldn’t be enough to address the problem. Therefore, they support anti-smoking strategies that includes educational campaigns, increased taxation on tobacco products and affordable therapy programs to help people quit. Furthermore, adding extra tax on tobacco products has proved to reduce the consumption, especially among the lower paid individuals.
In conclusion, while banning smoking in public areas is a good measure, it is insufficient on its own to make it less appealing to smokers. More regulated anti-smoking methods that incorporates education, taxation and accessible mentored quitting programs are essential for combating the challenges posed by smoking addiction.