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In Nigeria, smoking ban in public places has attracted a lot of mixed feelings amongst smokers and non-smokers. The new legislation is welcome for non-smokers while smokers view it as underrating their personality.

Though smokers know that smoking contribute to health hazards they continue to smoke cigs. In addition some of smokers have become so addicted to smoking that they can't live without cigarettes.

Smoking is a habit of inhaling the smoke of dried tobacco or other leaves from a pipe or a cigarette. Smoking has been in practice for centuries in various communities, often using plants with hallucinogenic or other mood-altering properties. The habit of smoking began in America and spread to Europe in the 16th century. Mass production of cigarette began in the 19th century.

Researchers have noted an unequivocal association between smoking and such life threatening diseases as lung cancer, chronic arthritis, emphysema and diseases of the arteries. Smoking appears to play a part in some forms of cancer and peptic ulcers. It is responsible for 2-2.5 million deaths each year. But it is not yet clear what part of the smoke is responsible for promoting diseases.

Non-smokers also stand at 60% risk of contracting life threatening disease. They may be affected by cigarettes smoke. Researchers have found that passive smokers are perhaps 3 times more likely to die of lung cancer than smokers. Smoking causes both physical and psychological addiction. Smokers are of the view that cigarette makes them active and completely whole while others believe that it keeps body and soul together.

Perhaps, the most dangerous aspect of smoking is addiction. Cigarette smoking is addictive and is known to be a causative factor in the development of throat cancer, heart and respiratory disorders. The risk of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day.

Smokers are known to have poor eating habit and of course their appetite for food is actually low.

Behavioral scientists have devoted much attention to helping people stop smoking. Although many people have successfully quit, many others have had great difficulty ending the habit.

To support the fact that smoking cigarettes contribute to health hazards, a report published in Archives of international medicine, mentioned that middle-aged adults who smoke appear to have a higher than average risk of developing memory impairments too.

Amanda Sandford, from the pressure group action on smoking and health (ASH), noted that there are so many young people who think that they can give up smoking in middle age and escape some of the other diseases associated with it. In this case, some of the damages may already have been done. Long term ex-smokers are likely to have deficits in memory and verbal reasoning ability.

She added: "Over the weekend, I saw a guy smoking in the market, I quickly cautioned him on the ban on smoking in public places and informed him that anybody caught smoking will be made to pay a fine or be imprisoned. He quickly added, "Don't mind them, if those in government actually want to put a stop to smoking, it must begin from those in power". He continued, "Most of them are chain smokers but the only difference is that they carry out their usual routine in secret places which may be known or not known by anybody".

She was amazed when that smoker critically analyzed that he smokes in public at times while the former smoke in a secret place. She also reminded him of the inherent danger the flames causes to human health, but he refuted her suggestion that whether smoking in public or secret places, smoking is smoking.

Amanda Sandford reported that exist controversy between those who believe smoking is an individual choice and those who believe society has the right to act on its own behalf.

Researchers said that people should learn to make choices that are healthy, they means that people must alone kick the bad habit.