The air became cleaner in all cafes, restaurants, taverns and bars in Spain on Jan 2nd as one of the toughest smoking bans across the European Union entered into force.Through Spanish authorities gave smokers a one-day delay to celebrate the New Year, they didn’t hesitate to implement the anti-smoking law on Sunday, prohibiting smoking in all indoor public venues and even in some outdoor places as well.

The ban was a major shock for many local smokers who considered café culture – indulging a smoke and a drink with friends – to be the essential part of their lives. Venues started to display warnings on their doors saying that smoking is banned.

In Madrid’s historic downtown, bars and cafes were packed throughout the day on Sunday in spite of the latest law, and no visitors were lighting up there. Even the patios were smoking is allowed were packed with customers despite cold weather.

Pablo Granollers, owner of the Txacolina bar in the historic centre of Madrid, said that on Sunday they had more customers than usual, but as it was a holiday it is difficult to determine the impact of the ban and they will check how the been impacted the business in a month. However, he added he doesn’t think the law will hurt his business.

A non-smoker, he praised the anti-smoking measure after running his smoke-filled bar for over seven years. Spain has first implemented an anti-smoking legislation in January 2006, however it had little effect on people. Under that law smoking was prohibited in office centers, workplaces, malls and public transport. Owners of restaurants and other public venues had the right to decide whether to be smoke-free or allow smoking on their on. And most of them, dealing with a decline in business, allowed their visitors to smoke.

According to the latest law, smoking Is banned in all indoor public venues, as well as in hospitals, educational institutions and parks and playgrounds. At the Cafe de San Sebastian in the downtown of Madrid, one person who attempted to smoke was told by the bartender that is was no longer allowed. “It’s not right,” the person, Juan Montesinos Campos, 50, said of the new legislation as he was asked to smoke near the entrance outside. “I believe they should designate separate smoking areas.” Another customer, Michael Grosjean, admitted he believed Spanish smokers would have a tougher time accepting the latest law than the French ones after a comparable measure came into effect in 2008.

“In France, we all were angry when it entered into force, but now we are able to go to restaurants with children and don’t be afraid that they will be exposed to tobacco smoke there,” added the 57-year-old executive director.

Feliciano Guerra Vives, president of the Spanish Hotel and Restaurateurs Association, stated the catering industry has been hurt by economic crisis during the last 2 years, and the law has been another crushing blow for them. He said the ban could result in a further 5% decline in sales in restaurants, approximately 10% in bars and nearly 12 % in night clubs.