Smoking ban in Spain to take effect

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLw8NDkN6tQ

Restaurants and bars in Spain are going to start looking very different. Gone will be the days of lighting up over a meal as many public spaces become smoke-free zones starting January 2nd.

The Socialist Government wants to put the country in line with the European Union strictest anti-smoking nations.

It insists that the new law is necessary as they blame smoking for 55.000 related deaths a year.

Many Spaniards see the ban as an attack on freedom of choice and an act of hypocrisy by the state.

I feel it’s outrageous that they don’t let us smoke in establishments but that the establishments can sell this, only so that the state can take more than 90% from each pack which is almost 5 euros.

Bar and restaurant owners are afraid the law is going to be bad for business.

From the business point of view it’s going to be a considerable loss as there are a lot of people who come to the bar to drink their coffee while smoking a cigarette and they are probably going to let the coffee go as they won’t be able to do it here.

According to the Ministry of Health 30% of Spaniards smoke.