Do warning labels discourage people from smoking?

That question occurred to us Tuesday morning as we read about President Obama signing what has been proclaimed “the nation’s toughest anti-smoking law,” which supporters feel will give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration much-needed muscle to regulate tobacco products.

Others, of course, feel that the new law is just another example of government strong-arm tactics choking off personal freedoms.

Evidently, that romantic-looking character from yesteryear who once graced so many billboards and magazine ads still lives in the hearts of many Americans.

Smokers have given ground grudgingly, fighting for every inch of space as cities have hashed out new ordinances limiting where people can light up or prohibiting the practice altogether.

Most public places are now no-smoking zones, and the polite “thank you for not smoking” has been replaced by harsher warnings.

Facing ever-increasing attacks from health organizations, parent associations and other zealous groups, those who enjoy having a smoke with their morning coffee have been pushed into the dark recesses of society. They have become outcasts in many eyes.

Gee, we once knew a lot of people who smoked, and they did so in public with the full blessing of the government. In fact, we’ve heard tell that many smokers got started on the habit while serving Uncle Sam.

In our lifetime, we’ve watched men and woman light up on airplanes, in movie theaters and just about every other location where people routinely gather. Those of us with a little mileage have probably been poked and prodded by a physician who had nicotine stains on his fingertips. Heck, we’ve even watched men puff away between bites of lunchtime burgers.

Would you like smoke with that?

Under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act signed by President Obama on Monday, the FDA will be able to ban such labels as “low tar” and “light” and outlaw candy flavorings. The FDA also can regulate what goes into tobacco products, make the ingredients public and prohibit marketing campaigns that appeal to children. The legislation also requires much larger warning labels on cigarette packs.

Numerous health agencies have hailed the legislation, and we fully expect our own doctor to be a big fan.

Will the new law ensure a healthier future for our kids and grandkids?

That’s another tough question, and we can only say we hope that it will. After all, who among us — smoker or nonsmoker — would light a youngster’s cigarette?

No responsible adult that we know would do such a thing, but yet, many of us can recall the days when we watched on-screen heroes light up and thought that they looked “cool.” Young people are impressionable, and if the truth were known, most of us who have smoked didn’t start because we liked the taste.

Will warning labels keep people from smoking? We think not. It’s never worked before. And let’s face it, if the ever-rising price doesn’t discourage smoking, probably nothing will.

But in our view, any legislation that’s aimed at promoting the health and welfare of the younger generation is worthwhile. There are no guarantees, but we should give it our best shot.

And if a few old-timers are convinced along the way, all the better.