When the law came out, both El Mundo and El Pais (and probably ABC, can't speak to that) had articles detailing the effects. Both printed the text of the law and explained that children are allowed in smoking bars, but not in the smoking sections of bars with nonsmoking areas. I have a four year old and he goes to all the same spots where we used to go. In our neighborhood, all of the bars are tiny, so they didn't have to change over.

But other "newspapers" like Que, 20 minutos, etc. reported that children weren't allowed and a whole host of other "hearsay" information. They clearly hadn't fact-checked. I wouldn't trust anything that I read in them, their journalistic standards are pretty much non-existent.

Where I have noticed a huge difference is in public buildings. I go to school at Complutense and--aside from a girl smoking a joint in the bathroom--I haven't seen anyone smoking inside or in the cafeteria. Anyone who has spent any amount of time in Edificio B will know what a monumental change that is.

That explains it. Yeah I agree with you about the sensationalist mini-papers, but I think I heard about it on the radio. That was back around Dec. 20. Then I went to the States for a couple of weeks and when I got back it was already in effect so I guess I never heard the truth. Still, I know a lot of Spaniards who still get it confused.

You're right about public buildings and workplaces. It's very noticeable and I don't have a problem with it. People seem to be respecting the law. I also noticed that at the complutense there are more students out front, but people seem to be respecting the law. Actually, I thought you couldn't smoke in those buildings anyway, except for designated areas.

Still I think it's a strange law. There's nothing wrong with the idea of trying to make more areas smoke-free, I am no longer a smoker so it doesn't affect me, but I don't see a need to restrict the places where you can sell it, for example. The good thing is that I do have a couple of freinds who have quit smoking (for the moment that is) as a result of the law. ¡No hay mal que por bien no venga!