before starting smoking i always ask if i bother to the person who is close to me, i do it even before this ridiculous law (of course, ridiculous for me) was imposed

You are right about something being prohibited being attractive.
I started smoking at probably aged 12 because it seemd really adult thing to do and prohibited so that made it exciting.I really wished I had never got started as it took me many many years to break the habit,and I honestly feel it was one of the best things I have ever done.(apart from marry my wife of course in case she reads this this!)
And it makes me sad when I see young people doing exactly the same thing as I did.But its their life and making things more illegal can make it seem more attractive.

Marisol - and we were getting on so well!!!!

You smoke, that is your vice. Good for you. Everyone needs vices. However your vice is not only harming your health - your choice, and nothing to do with me - if I am in the same place as you it is also harming my health, and this is NOT my choice. You are inflicting your personal choice on me and it is causing me harm. My vice is Cruzcampo. If I drink too much and act like a drunken arse, thus causing you discomfort, I am asked to leave. Going a step further, and much closer to the smoking debate, I am only allowed to drink one beer before being classed as unfit to drive - even though I may be perfectly fine. Should I cause anyone any type of harm whislt driving and being over the limit, even by only an extremely small amount, I am charged with causing harm (or death) whilst driving under the infulence. I may have been sober. One beer does not affect me one bit - but the law says it does. And fair enough - I know where I stand and cannot complain. I go to jail as a criminal if I hurt someone whilst driving with a beer or two (no more) inside me. You, on the other hand can smoke and infect my lungs and contaminate my personal space and you feel aggrieved, and that your rights have been violated. What about my rights? You impose that on me without my consent. You have a direct effect on my health.

How would you feel if I sat next on a table next to you in a crowded restaurant and farted all the way through your meal. It isn't against the law - I am free to do it. Should I complain that my rights are being violated because the staff ask me to leave for upsetting other diners? Of course not. It's a question of moral and social responsibility, and of course I would realise my actions are harming those around me. Smokers seem to think they have a God given right to be exempt from this.

For a general population that likes to see themselves as liberal, socialist, having solidarity for the fellow man, I have met far, far too many Spaniards who are a walking contradiction. Live and let live is a motto (lema) that many like to use but it isn't properly understood in Spain - for too many Spaniards it means I'll ignore what you do as long as you let me do whatever the hell I like.

There is also an often untalked about reason why governments around the world might be looking to ban smoking in public - it won't happen today or tomorrow, but they are aware that sooner or later someone will try their luck with an attempted murder lawsuit for death by second hand smoke. It may seem preposterous but not too dissimilar cases have been going on in the US already - this would surely be the next logical step.

dont tell me that
before smoking, i have always asked if i bother something and a lot of times i have gone out to smoke. A workmate was pregnant when smoking was allowed and i have never smoked even nobody had prohibited it. I always think about the others, really, but i dont like nobody to prohibit me to do anything.

But we are all prohibited in so many ways.

You can't travel in a car without your seatbelt on - even if it is only you that it harms.

You are prohibited in free movement. Your DNI card (carnet) is a licence for police to presume you are guilty before they can prove your innocence - they demand it at any time, then check you are an innocent person. Surely this should be different

You can't even buy an abono for the Metro in Madrid without your carnet - why in God's name would you need to present your DNI to a simple Metro employee, who is presumably you equal

I could go on....

Yet these are all defended as protective measures - to ensure your protection. These are all accepted. But try taking away their cigarettes, and woe betide anyone who gets in their way.

Marisol, I should tell you that I worked for two years at Altadis head office in Madrid (the old Tabacalera) and I know full well their feelings on this issue and what's more worrying are their policies about attracting 'new' smokers (although this is no different to tobacco companies the world over)

I just like the dividend from my holding of Bats shares.hmmmm Very nice indeed.
Light anyone.

That penguin carried a VERY unexpected message....

I like your dog !!

No, that wasn't the message

....thanks. Zorra says thanks too, though Lenny (the Siamese in front of her) is none too impressed that a bog standard Spanish mutt should get praise over HIM....

Marisol, I like your posts and respect your opinion...but here we differ enormously. There is nothing ridiculous about a non smoking law. I have never smoked in my life but have had to endure...yes endure ... the smoke of people around me because I enjoy going in bars and socialising, also my husband is a musician and when he is working he also has to endure the smoke, he used to be a smoker but stopped 25 years ago. It is most unpleasant to be sat near to a smoker. I like to have a drink, I sometimes get tipsy...I have a laugh and even a dance but I don't annoy or upset anyone (well, not as far as I know ) but a smoker gets right up my nose To ask the person next to you if they mind you smoking is good, and polite - but what about people nearby, do they not get to have a say. They are breathing in your second hand smoke

Not to mention..... and I've forgotten his name. British entertainer, died dunno 15 years ago, maybe less, lung cancer, never smoked in his life, spent countless hours in smoky clubs.

Roy Castle

Yes......shocking and very, very sad He was a very good musician and also an all round entertainer. He played trumpet and that involved inhaling deeply (unfortunately) the smoke in the venues where he played - as do all people who work and perform in smokey pubs, clubs and theatres etc.,

He was a pain in the arse though, so maybe the smokers were doing a public service