INTRODUCTIONThe question suggests that smokers today are treated as outcasts in most social contexts in Britain and the United States. 50 years ago, 70% of men smoked while 50% of women smoked, but today in the UK around 21% of both women and men smoke (Hughes, 2012). 50 years ago you could smoke in any public place, even in your own offices, but today office spaces and pubs in Britain are crowded with smokers who have been banned from smoking indoors. Smokers today are viewed with antipathy by non-smokers; This is a considerable difference compared to 50 years ago, when smoking was socially acceptable. Further steps have been taken regarding the smoking ban in America, effective March 1, 2014; Stanford University has banned the sale of tobacco products and smoking on campus (Coughlan, 2014). US legislation has yet to ban smoking in vehicles with children (Haddou, 2014) and in New York even e-cigarettes have been included in smoking bans in public places (Sherwell, 2014). This is not only peculiar to developing countries such as Britain and the United States, but also to some developing countries such as Nigeria. Is negative treatment of smokers in Britain and the United States reducing the smoking population in these regions or should more effective methods of smoking control be implemented? This essay will evaluate how smokers are viewed in the 21st century; arguments supporting the denial of free medical care to smokers and counter-arguments compare smoking restrictions in Britain and Nigeria and discuss the effectiveness of various measures taken to control smoking. The general attitude towards smoking in Britain and in the United States has undergone observable changes... ... half of article ...... n contributed to a significant decrease in the prevalence of smoking-related diseases. Although the smoking ban seems effective, some anti-smoking advocates consider it rather extreme. The government can come to a compromise that is beneficial to both smokers and non-smokers. The smoking ban may be revised to allow large buildings to have designated indoor smoking areas, and smoking licenses may be issued for buildings with adequate ventilation. Smoking is a lifestyle choice and, although it may pose a risk to a healthy life, smokers should not be treated as pariahs but rather should be encouraged to live healthier lives. The government should also make efforts to create awareness about the dangers that smoking could cause to the younger generations. Stigmatization is dangerous for any individual and should not be encouraged.