Health Minister A Ramadoss may finally breathe a sigh of relief. Shah Rukh Khan [Images] has decided to give up smoking.

"I am planning to quit smoking for the sake of my children, who hate to see me smoke," Shah Rukh Khan said, in an interview to the Malayalam daily, Malayalam Manorma. "It is a blessing in disguise and I will quit smoking in the next two months," he added.

SRK's [Images] smoking had become a kind of war between him and the Health Minister.

Ramadoss had often stated that Shah Rukh's habit of smoking publically set up a bad precedent for youngsters. But the actor did not stop.

"I am sure Mr Ramadoss will be very happy to hear this news," Shah Rukh told the Malayalam newspaper.

The interview was conducted at Pollachi in Tamil Nadu where SRK is shooting for Billo Barber, directed by Priyadarshan [Images]. The film's Tamil version, Kuselan and Telugu version Kathanayakudu -- both starring Rajnikanth [Images] -- released last week.

"I started smoking when I was 22. For the last 20 years, I have been a smoker," SRK said.

"The idea of quitting propped up during a 17-hour flight," SRK explained. The actor could not smoke on the flight, and did not even feel the urge. "So if I can do without smoking in flight, I am sure I can do without it on land too," he said.

But this is not the first time Shah Rukh has promised to quit smoking.