Stop Smoking

The state-wide smoking ban that Ohio voters approved on November 7th of this year has now gone into effect.
Fines, however, will not be handed out for those who break the new law until the Ohio Department of Health
decides how to enforce the ban. My workplace sent an email detailing how our office is complying
with the new rules, but everything still seems up in the air. The lack of enforcement rules proves everything is still up in the air.

Several bars around Columbus were still allowing smoking, despite the city of Columbus’s previously in-place ban. Of the two bars I frequent that were still allowing smoking, one of them has complied with the ban. I could see the complying bar
allowing smoking again some day, once the newness of the ban wears off. This weekend, a few people tried to light up in the bar but were quickly chastised by the bartenders, who offered demanded that they pour water on the cigarette and throw it away.

The ban will hopefully have a positive impact for smokers and non-smokers alike. I have heard of statistics that show Columbus’s smoking ban was having a positive impact on lung cancer rates just a short time after the ban went into effect. I don’t know how it could have such a fast effect, but if it’s true, I’d say it’s great news. The ban will certainly add fuel to my Stop Smoking fire. I’m getting close. The weather is helping, too. There’s myriad reasons for me to quit. Now I just have to follow through.