More Than Health Reasons To Quit Smokingby Ralf Elgrant
Today there is a growing body of evidence that many other people who smoke are quitting smoking for other reasons not related to health. Smoking Laws Second hand smoke whose scientific backing first appeared in 1981 gave raise to fierce campaigns to legislate against tobacco companies and smoking cigarettes in general. This has resulted in accelerated enactment of anti-smoking laws and legislation seeking to ban smoking in public places.
The fact that there are not so many places left to smoke is in itself frustrating to many people who smoke. This is not stopping, by the close of 2009 over 36 states in America had adopted stinging smoking bans. Even teenage tobacco users would be arrested by police in some states if found in possession of tobacco cigarettes. Ever increasing tobacco taxes Taxing tobacco products has been shown as a very effective way to discourage smoking. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and many anti-tobacco experts encourages it. This approach has been applied in Japan were a pack of 20 cigarettes was recently increased by 33 cents to heavily discourage smoking. Practically the taxes are applied on tobacco companies themselves who in turn as is the practice in business pass on the burden to the end consumer. All in all tobacco taxes are unlikely to eradicate tobacco use as it where. However they play a very significant role in raising the stakes of smoking on an annual basis. In the United States a pack of 20 cigarettes costs anything between $6.00 to $6.50. The price spikes with more special brands. This translates to at least $45.00 per week and $2300 per year on smoking.This is no small amount to spend on cigarettes alone. As taxes continue to increase more and more people who smoke are finding the smoking habit a seriously expensive habit to uphold. This is causing many to fall by the way side. An important reason to quit smoking. The biggest U.S. tax hike on tobacco took effect in March 2009. It raised taxes from about $0.39 to $1.01 a pack. A smoker, Will Hues (27), was quoted in a USATODAY article as saying "I'm going to quit...prices have gone up so much you're out of your mind to pay it" It appears tax increases will drive lower income earners to quit smoking more than the higher income end of the market. Social disapproval Increasing social disapproval of smoking cigarettes has resulted in many looking how to quit cigarettes. Society is increasingly becoming intolerant of smoking individuals. In the eyes of people who do not smoke, an individual who continues to smoke in light of all the dangers of smoking and effects of passive smoking becomes questionable. One may be considered inconsiderate and irresponsible enough to endanger their own life and that of others. This concern will even extend to bread and butter issues to include job interviews and such other important engagements in life. Reasons to quit smoking keep expanding. Social disapproval of smoking has been most apparent amongst teenage smokers. Teens who smoke have even found it difficult to date peers as smoking has been viewed as uncool. This is amongst the reasons why an increasing number of teens is switching to smokeless tobacco such chew tobacco without necessarily quitting smoking. It is apparent that there are more than health reasons to quit smoking. The changing dynamics surrounding the tobacco industry are making it increasingly difficult to sustain the smoking habit for many. SOURCES:
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Smoking bans emanating from tough laws have already affected thousands of airports, bars, restaurants and hotels. Workplace smoking has also been dramatically curtailed. The net effect has been the reduction of places to smoke. 
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