Once upon a time, a smoker could light up anywhere they pleased, it was not illegal, and only those with a highly tuned sense of social etiquette would not puff second-hand smoke in the faces of those around them.

Times have changed, but not for some.

The latest figures from Australian Health Tracker show there are more than 5000 local people still regularly lighting up as World No Tobacco Day came and went on Friday, May 31 without much fuss.

Did you know It is illegal to smoke in a car while a minor or minors are passengers?

A $250 on the spot fine applies to the driver and any passenger who breaks the law.

Under the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008 it is an offence to smoke in a car with a child under 16 years of age in the vehicle. If a passenger is smoking, the driver will also be liable.

A 16-year-old from Dubbo clearly did not know the law existed and In Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday, the girl pleaded guilty to that offence and another.

It's also illegal to smoke in entrances and exits to shopping centres and buildings.

The laws are in place to protect people from second-hand tobacco smoke. It is a fact that second-hand tobacco smoke harms our lungs.

Beyond running graphic ads on television and showing gruesome images on cigarette packages, what more can we do as a society to encourage people to quit smoking or not to take up the habit at all?

Packets of cigarettes are now kept hidden inside locked cabinets at the supermarket and newsagents, yet still, new people take up smoking every day. Should cigarettes be classed as a dangerous drug and made illegal altogether? Or would that be a step too far? Something needs to be done about the scourge of tobacco addiction because fines and graphic ads don't seem to be working.