The banning of smoking worldwide is quite an interesting story. It started off small but spread like the cancer it creates. At first, it may have appeared as an infringement on our civil rights. Say what you will about smoking, but it is ultimately your choice. But as the world became a cleaner place to live in, where second hand smoke didn’t jeopardize others lives, we began to breathe a collective, clean sigh of relief.

Croatia was one the most recent places to ban smoking in public areas. The law also restricts any smoking-related media campaigns. 13,000 people die of smoking-related deaths in Croatia each year. These political steps may prevent unneeded deaths and increase overall health.

Look at Italy: a ban enforced in Italy in 2005 has led to a sharp fall in heart attack rates, by 11 percent, researchers said.

Of course, encouraging an entire nation to quit smoking - or at least cut down - is no easy task. These countries have embedded views on smoking and old habits die hard, literally.

Mate Vrkic, 49, owner of a small cafe in an open air market in Zagreb, is concerned:

“Business is already pretty thin. At least half of my guests smoke and if I lose another 20 regulars, I’ll stop making any profit. I have never smoked so when everyone lights up in here, the smoke is killing me. But for business, it will be a disaster.”

So just as an individual struggles to quit smoking, we as a world nation have our struggles with it as well. But its positive news to see a healthy choice being enacted around the world, in obvious and more challenging locations such as Croatia. It shows that we can all be on the “same page,” at least as far as the dangers of smoking.