Smokers will soon find themselves much less welcome in New York City. That's because the city's government has agreed to pass the nation's toughest antismoking laws, effectively banning the act in nearly all bars and restaurants, with only a few minor exceptions. The initiative's primary goal is to protect the health of restaurant and bar employees. But while some also hope it will help smokers kick the habit, many psychologists are not so optimistic.
"In terms of net effect on smoking, it is not going to be big. What it may do is lower the number of people that go to bars," says Tom Horvath, Ph.D., who works at a drug treatment center in La Jolla, California. "This is just one more added cost to make smoking a little more inconvenient." Horvath is unconvinced that the legislation will be enough to persuade people that the costs of smoking outweigh its benefits.
