Smoking Banned in Public Places in India from Today

Like many other countries in the world, the Indian government has decided to ban the smoking of cigarettes in all public places from today.

The reaction has been predictable and varied. Bars and clubs are concerned that they may face a drop in patronage, cigarette vendors are ruing the impact on their revenue, and many smokers are outraged that their freedom has been taken away.

The penalty for smoking is a 200 rupee ($4.50) fine. However, how well the ban and penalty are actually enforced remains to be seen. India is known to be an "adjustable" country, where rules are not always followed. It will be interesting to find out the extent to which this one, which requires a huge behavioral change, will be.