The World's Biggest Smoking Ban

Political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi said he realized the potential evils of cigarettes after he gave up smoking as a young man. Now, decades after his death, his country is trying to get its citizens to once again follow in his footsteps and give up smoking by instituting a nationwide smoking ban.

The new law, which was timed to coincide with Gandhi's birthday, calls for a fine of 200 rupees or about $1 USD for anyone smoking in public.

So far, the results have been minimal as police officers have been reluctant to enforce the new rules. In a country so large, where so many people incorporate smoking into their daily lives, many are adopting a pragmatic attitude.

A commenter named Suraj from Malaysia, summed up the situation best when he said, "It will take two generations minimum to significantly reduce smoking in public places; but hey they gotta start sometime, eh?"

We all gotta start somewhere when it comes to quitting smoking. Even if you believe yourself to be a lost cause, you can look to India as an example of people taking on a huge challenge one step at a time. [The Times of London]