Help To Break The Habit

The social pressure to quit smoking grows and grows. In many states in America you aren't allowed to smoke anywhere public including at the workplace, on public transport, in bars and cafes, restaurants and so on. In fact 26 states (as of July 2010) have put statewide bans on smoking in enclosed public spaces. So if you go to visit out-of-state friends and family make sure that you check out the local laws before you find that you are fined for lighting up. Even the state of Virginia, the home of tobacco, has a smoking ban in schools and state offices, as well as a smoking restriction in restaurants. There you can only smoke in restaurants and bars in a designated ventilated smoking area.

Flying

Most world airlines have banned smoking on all flights and those few that do permit it are not usually well known, and go to obscure places like Mongolia. Smoking has been banned on flights since 1998 inside the United States and on all American carriers, so if you want to smoke and fly you will have to leave the country first, and you might even have to get your own plane! The best solution if you are still addicted and can't face a long-haul flight without a cigarette is to get nicotine patch, nicotine gum or a cigarette substitute like an e-cigarette.

Hotels

Many hotels no longer permit smoking in their guest rooms or anywhere in the hotel. For example the Marriot, Sheraton and Westin chains have a hotel wide smoking ban. So perhaps if you are really serious about giving up smoking you could try staying in a smoke-free hotel for 2 or three weeks while you quit! Even the Hilton hotel chain only reserves 10% of its rooms for smokers, so make sure you reserve a smoking room, if you still haven't quit, or you may find you have to quit regardless!

Transportation

Smoking is banned on most forms of public transportation, but if you are traveling by train on Amtrak from Washington to Florida, the Auto Train sometimes has an enclosed smoking car available. In Britain there is even a ban on smoking at bus stops in some areas, so be careful where you travel and light up.

Car Hire

If you are hiring a car, both Avis and Budget car hire companies have been 100% smoke free in the United States and Canada since October 2009. Alamo and Enterprise also don't allow smoking in their hire cars, where as Hertz and National car hire companies have smoke free cars available on request.

Social Support

So with all this legal and social support to stop smoking, giving up the "coffin nails" is easier than ever. Check out the rest of our site for more help to quit.