Ontario's and Quebec's province-wide smoking ban in all public places went into effect on Wednesday -- to coincide with World No Tobacco Day. This is what Heather Crowe, a non-smoker who recently passed away from lung cancer, worked so passionately to make happen. As a waitress who worked in smoke-filled restaurants most of her adult life, she felt that second-hand smoke was the cause of her lung cancer. Crowe wanted to insure that no other person be subjected to second-hand smoke and suffer the same fate she did in being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.

Many approve of the new law banning smoking in all public places, but not the bingo halls that raise money for charity. Ontario's 100 charity bingo halls state the smoking ban will result in the closing of 48 bingo halls over the next year. The Committee to Save Charity Bingo representing the bingo halls indicate that charities will lose $50 million dollars that would normally have been raised during bingo because 70 percent of customers who play at charity bingo halls smoke. They fear the players won't be coming around if they cannot smoke while they play bingo. While it is not in the nature of people to welcome change -- especially when it comes to lifestyle changes -- they do have the enormous capacity to adapt to new situations and circumstances, and in time, I think everyone will become comfortable with the new way. Or at least find alternative ways to make everyone comfortable.