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Bye, bye tobacco!
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There are many wonderful things about Spain, but smoking is not one of them. It would seem that just about every Spaniard smokes, either on a regular basis or socially, and it is not possible to go out at night without coming home reeking of cigarettes, so much so it often takes two showers to get the stench out of your hair. It’s fine if you, too, are a smoker, but what if you value the quality of the air that you let into your lungs?
It’s unclear where tobacco gets its popularity from in Spain. Perhaps because it is significantly cheaper than in the U.S. (the equivalent of only $3/pack), or because it is easily accessible (there are vending machines in just about every bar, and though you often need the help of someone who works there to access the goods, no one will ever check ID in Spain). Maybe it’s simply because the Spanish are rebellious by nature. Whatever the cause, the result is a cloud of smoke that accompanies you all day long, in bars, on the street, in the park...
Spain has significantly improved their smoking habits since the passing of a law on January 1, 2006 that states that all establishments must declare whether they are smoking or non-smoking, and all restaurants are obliged to have a non-smoking section. Yes, that’s right, not a smoking section, but a non-smoking one. And never mind that that “non-smoking section” is often just a table or two floating amidst a sea of smoking tables... However, while all these new laws are indeed upheld (very surprising, in fact, due to that whole rebellious Spanish nature...), essentially, very little has changed. No bar is willing to be a non-smoking bar because it would lose the majority of it’s cliental. So, most places proudly display a sign that says En este establecimiento se permite fumar (You can smoke here). And the smoking continues.
But all this is about to change. On January 1, 2010, Spain will finally join its fellow tobacco-loving neighbors, France and Italy, in a ban on smoking in all public buildings. While it has already been forbidden to smoke in airports, hospitals, schools, and public transportation for some time now, come New Years Day, it will also no longer be legal to hold a caña (mini beer) in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Well, at least not indoors...
This may not seem like such a momentous event to an American, as many states in the U.S. have been smoke free for more than a decade, but this new law is about to revolutionize Spanish culture. Gone will be the days of sipping a café con leche and puffing away on a Marlboro light. Gone will be the nights of disco going and chain smoking. This is not a matter of health concerns; if the Spanish were worried about that, they wouldn't be smoking to begin with. It’s a matter of convenience, of lifestyle. Many will soon face the decision of whether it will be worth it to continue to smoke if it means having to go outside every time they want to light up. Perhaps the number of smokers will diminish; surely the passive smokers will feel less temptation. What is certain, though, is that the air will be safer for everyone, especially for all non-smokers who have been forced to inhale so much second hand smoke just to hang out with their friends!
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