Study: Children from smoking ban areas less likely to smoke

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Wisconsin’s anti-smoking advocates have new ammunition to support their cause.

A Boston University study said youngsters who live in places with strict smoking bans are 40 percent less likely than others to become regular smokers.

Researcher Michael Siegel said many kids in those places learn that smoking is not socially acceptable and their communities frown upon it. Siegel’s study included 2,800 young people in Massachusetts.

More than two dozen Wisconsin communities have some type of smoking ban.

Several –- including Madison, Appleton and Marshfield –- prohibit smoking in all public places, including bars and restaurants.

The state Legislature had considered a similar ban statewide. But it died when the regular session ended this spring, because of a disagreement over a proposed grace period for taverns.

Tags: wisconsinnews, children, smokingban, discourageshabit