Now to the typical American, especially those around my age think this is very normal to see people standing outside of a bar puffin on a ciggy-butt, smoking indoors has been banned in New York since about 2001!
But Spain is a different story. After a night out in Spain, you would come home smelling like nicotine and rat poison. It was not a very pleasant smell to have stuck in your hair when you woke up with a hangover the next morning- it certainly did not help the situation.
But non-smokers REJOICE! As of January 2nd, 2011, smoking indoors in Spain has become illegal!
Spain was known as one of the last "safe-havens" for smokers in Europe. It was one of the last countries to allow smoking indoors! Well, sayonara smokers, move outside with those cancer sticks and let us non-smokers inside in the warmth to enjoy smoke free air!
I was at one bar in Madrid on the 1st day of the year (the last day to smoke indoors- the ban would begin at midnight) and I watched the owner of the bar put up the NO SMOKING signs! (I might have been fist pumping in my head)
Its funny because now I don't really appreciate the smoke free environment, until i smell someone perhaps accidentally lighting up inside! Then it's quite noticeable. Usually, people don't start a riot over it.... this is Spain, no pasa nada!
But I still appreciate waking up with the occasional hangover... without the smell of cigarette smoke all up in my bed!
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