Every year thousands of people give up smoking, if not for the
obvious health reasons but also because it burns a hole in your
pocket. Some might be motivated by the thought of using the
extra cash for flying back and forwards to Spain during the
year. I am sure that some might even find that if they put away
the money that they would have spent on cigarettes; within a few
years they could have the deposit for another off-plan!
With careful planning and a bit of research by the end of
February, you could use the funds to fly out to Spain to check
up on the progress of your current off plan investment. However,
for the newly ex-smoker, two months is still early days and
Spain, whose national sport is smoking, might offer too much
temptation.
We have all been there in a Spanish restaurant, savouring a
great fish dish, when your swordfish is suddenly infused with
essence of tobacco. It doesn't matter how you position yourself
on your seat, try moving but there's no escape. Why? Because
it's all around. Everybody is doing it, puffing in synchrony.
Cough and wave all you like, nobody cares. You're in Spain where
smoking is a "healthy" part of socialising and the unsociable,
non-smoker freak is ignored.
However, times are changing. Or rather, new laws, which came
into effect on the 1st January, are enforcing changes. For a
start, after years of leaving the bank smelling like an ashtray,
smoking has been banned in the workplace. Those of you bothered
by smoke when eating out take your tape measure out with you and
make sure you book tables in restaurants bigger than 100 square
metres in size. It is in bars and restaurants of this size, that
owners are legally obliged to create designated non-smoking
areas.
Again, those of you disgusted by the stench of smoke which tends
to be absorbed by hair and clothes will be relieved to know that
the ban has been extended to lifts, cash machines, bus stations,
trains and ferries.
The objective of the law is to protect the rights of those once
ignored non-smokers and support those trying to quit. Those who
break it face fines of up to 600 Euros. Nevertheless, this calls
for a cultural change as smoking is an integral part of the
Spanish lifestyle and is not yet considered unfashionable as it
is in the UK and US. Also, bearing in mind that they lived under
a dictatorship for many years, the Spanish are hardly going to
take kindly to being told what to do again.
So, if you new ex-smokers are planning to come out in a couple
of month's time I can't guarantee that Spain will be temptation
free, although you might stand a better chance of avoiding it
than in the past. Just don't be tempted by the cheap cartons!
About the author:
Susan Pedalino is Masters Degree qualified in Intercultural
Communication and teaching English as a foreign language. Susan
regularly writes for
www.eyeonspain.com, the
Spanish off plan property
forums website and
www.eyeonworldwide, the
overseas property
forums website.
