Force won't help stub out the problem

"This is being done to improve the indoor climate and to follow the trend in Danish society and that of other European airports, where a smoke-free environment is considered ever more important," an airport official said.

This must be absolutely heavenly for non-smokers, because even at airports where smoking rooms are available, the smoke still goes beyond the glass walls and contaminates the outside area.

However, it remains to be seen if this control will help cut down on cigarette consumption.

Smokers taking their last puff before a flight at the entrance or exit of an airport, is a normal sight. Worse, many smokers don't even bother disposing of their cigarette butts in a responsible manner, and more often than not, you find them scattered on the pavement. Not many pay attention to the non-smoking signs outside the doors either, and smoke finds its way into the terminals. You can smell it 50 metres away.

In Norway, where a pack of cigarettes can be as pricey as 82 kroner, or Bt443, many people are still smoking. Nearly everybody you see out at night has a cigarette between their fingers and many are seen having a quick smoke on their way to work. Ashtrays are available everywhere, and some can be as large as dustbins.

Therefore, I think this total smoking ban is not really working. In fact, if there is ever an award for the best smoking policy, I think it should go to "Purity", a charity organisation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Recently, it announced that a smoker is entitled to enter a lucky draw for a free wedding ceremony, but there's one condition to entry - they have to enrol in a weeklong quitting course. Runners-up get other awards like furniture.

The move stems from the norm that grooms take care of wedding expenses, which are so high that many men have to spend years putting the money together. Also, it is estimated that one fourth of the Saudi Arabian population of 27.6 million are smokers.

Doesn't this sound a more innovative way to encourage smokers to quit? Willingness always works better than force, doesn't it?