I’m a smoker, but I do understand there is a need for a more common sense approach to the issue. As always though, it seems that there will be a blanket ban in establishments, rather than giving them the option of providing smoking and non-smoking areas, if they’re able to do so.
It’s going to be interesting to see how the ban is enforced. Seriously.
I live in Granada province. In most of the small villages, there’s at least several small cafes and bars. When I’m doing work in some of these villages and call in one for my morning coffee break, there’s usually always officers of either the Policia Local or Guardia Civil in there. I don’t think I can ever recall one who wasn’t smoking.
Now in the case of the Policia Local, who are most likely the ones who will be responsible for enforcing any bans, how will they be so willing to do so, when in all likelihood, the bar owner may be a friend, neighbour, or even a relative? In more rural areas, I just can’t see this type of banning approach working, or if anything, it may cause more friction and problems, if bans are enforced on one establishment, but not another.
I personally think that encouragement and education, rather than blanket banning is a better solution. Leave the decisions to the proprietors and their clients, rather than the law-makers.
I recall when the regulations came in that establishments here had to provide notices, as to if they were “smoking” or “non-smoking”. One near to me decided that they might benefit from being non-smoking, even though they were a smoker themselves. They put up all the no-smoking signs and banned smoking in their bar. For the two or three “new” customers they gained, they lost all their “regulars”. Within only a fortnight, they were running at a loss, so decided to permit smoking once more.
Especially in the current climate, where I’m seeing cafes and bars closing down locally anyway, a rigidly enforced ban, would be the final nail in the coffin for many (already struggling) establishments.
