Smokers across England have sparked up at work and in the pub for the last time as the ban on smoking in enclosed public places begins.
The new law, which came into effect at 0600 BST, is intended to cut deaths from second-hand smoke.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland already have similar bans in place.
Many venues held farewell events for the final night of smoking on Saturday, while local authorities are preparing to enforce the ban.
Doctors estimate second-hand smoke kills more than 600 people a year.
The government also hopes it will help smokers to quit, and discourage children from taking up the habit.

by Deborah Arnott : As evidence the industry cites the 1990s, when tax increases were followed by tobacco smuggling ballooning out of control. Smuggling certainly did go up, due to a vast expansion in British cigarettes being sold overseas, destined to be smuggled straight back to the UK – with tobacco manufacturers benefiting from the increase in sales of their products at a cheaper tax-free price.

Florida prisoners who smoke are kicking the habit before Sept. 30. They have no choice. Corrections officials are banning smoking at state prisons, giving inmates six months’ warning and offering prisoners help quitting. Instead of selling cigarettes and lighters at their canteens, prisons might sell inmates the nicotine patch, said Gretl Plessinger, state Department of Corrections spokeswoman.

PUBLIC smokers could be told to butt out completely, with health experts pushing for a ban in shared outdoor areas.In calling for the ban, the Australian Medical Association has accused Victoria of falling behind on anti-smoking measures. Tobacco retailers will be required from Saturday to keep all tobacco products, including cigarettes, out of the view of consumers.Advertising and signs will be banned, except for government-produced notices advising that cigarettes are sold in the shop.

A new study has revealed that the amount of the reported cases of asthma has significantly dropped in Scotland since the introduction of the smoking ban.The smoking ban was introduced in Scotland on the 26th of March in 2006. Since then, the rates of smokers in the country have fallen consistently as many more people have been able to quit smoking.

The Food and Grocery Council says banning all visible tobacco retail displays makes current commercial agreements ineffective.MPs have revealed radical plans to cut the smoking rate, including banning displays, putting tobacco products in plain packaging and extending non-smoking areas to cars.The council says the move could potentially deny companies the use of their trademarks.

The smoking ban in Malta was facing serious enforcement problems, an EU-wide survey indicated yesterday, confirming the widespread perception that exists locally.More than a third of Maltese respondents admitted that when they last visited a bar, people there were smoking. The survey was conducted last October.Although it seems that restaurants are more careful, 16 per cent said people were allowed to smoke even in such places.

CHENNAI: Two years after the Union Health Ministry declared a ban on smoking in public places, the city has maintained the momentum. Several non-governmental organisations and the State government have played a pivotal role in taking home the message about the ills of using tobacco.