Executing a ban and increasing taxes on cigarettes are both successful methods to reduce smoking rates, revealed by a new research by Ohio State University. However, ban has been found to stop people from developing heavier smoking habits, thereby resulting in overall reduction in smoking. According to researchers, both the methods have different impact on smoking habits.

The research shows that an increase in taxes will result in people with heavy smoking habits to reduce smoking as they do not want to spend additional money on cigarettes. However, people with light smoking habits will not smoke if they can’t buy the product due to increased taxes, thereby reducing smoking. "Both taxes and bans have their place. But bans might stop casual smokers from becoming heavy tobacco users," said Michael Vuolo, an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Ohio State University. He added that bans prove more effective in stopping casual smoking from becoming addiction.

The research was published in the American Journal of Public Health. The study involved examining database of 4,341 people which was accumulated during the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 across 487 cities. The participants were questioned each year during 2004 and 2011. The tobacco policy database of the Americans for Nonsmokers Rights Foundation provides information on city-level smoking bans and tax rates.

The research concluded that there was a 21% decrease in the number of smokers in cities where smoking has been banned. However, there was no impact of taxes on casual smokers. According to Vuolo, both the methods of curbing smoking levels are successful in varied manners. The most terrible scenario is not having any restrictions, he added.