Gothamist: NYC Is Smoking Less. This is good news, and I am happy to report that my brother Chris is a member of that 11 percent. It’s also proof, in part, that banning smoking in bars is effective. It’s funny to me, because, here in Georgia, I hear a lot of people, and I mean a real lot, saying that they shouldn’t ban smoking in bars. The longer I go without a cigarette, the more I think it is a good idea.