Smokers feel attacked by local bans

Thursday marks the 33rd annual great American smoke-out.
The American Cancer Society uses the day to encourage smokers to kick the habit, at least for a day.The ultimate goal is to snuff it out completely.
Several municipalities have already done snuffed out smoking, at least in public places.
Just in our viewing area alone, nine cities and counties have kicked the butts.
Seven of those bans have already gone into effect and two others take effect in January.
But the recent bans have left some smokers feeling like they are under attack.
Clarence Lovick enjoys taking a smoke on his lunch break.“If I’m upset, it might calm me down,” says Lovick.
The Columbia resident says he’s been a smoker since he was 16.
But lately Lovick says, lighting up has been harder to do, with smoking bans in capitol city restaurants and bars.
“I think it’s just a waste of time, for somebody to make a law, to have somebody stop doing what they feel they have the right to do,” says Lovick.”"I wish it would be totally banned," says Executive Director of the American Cancer Society, Sue Mclesse.
Mclesse says one way to make people quit smoking, is to make the habit more expensive.
Currently the organization is working to increase to the state’s cigarette tax from seven cents a pack, to a dollar.
But Mclesse says she won’t be completely satisfied until the whole state, is smoke free."What I would like to see, is total cessation, total lack of production, of cigarettes," says Mclesse.
According to the American Cancer society, 440,000 people die in this country every year from tobacco related illnesses.That's more than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, murder and illegal drugs combined.
Clarence Lovick knows the numbers, but wishes the organization would butt out of his personal choice.
"Somebody sometimes might need or want a cigarette, just like somebody might need or want something to eat that they shouldn't it,” says Lovick.