Because of a new Spanish law, nobody is supposed to smoke inside places like educational institutions and workplaces effective Jan 1, 2006.

So if you are a non-smoker, you will be pleasantly surprised to see that nobody is smoking inside the campus. This is such a good news for someone like me who used to hate smoke when going to the cafeteria or when meeting someone who smoked inside his/her office. Once I went to Banco Sabadell office, I think it was the second day I was in Barcelona. I was really surprised then to see people smoking inside the bank. Well, not anymore. I think this is fantastic. I haven't analyzed other Spanish laws but this may probably has been the best law ever passed.

But I think it went little too far by not allowing smoking even in the open space inside an educational institution. I don't mind people smoking as long as it is not in a closed space. People can't even smoke now in the gardens inside IESE. That was little too strict, I think. pobres amigos, they have to go now outside the gate to smoke. If you take it in a positive way, it may actually discourage people from smoking because they have to make an effort to walk all the way outside the main gate to smoke. I know one of my heavy smoker friends who wants to quit and is trying to quit is happy that he doesn't see his friends smoking which would entice him to smoke. He has already cut it down to 5 per day from his usual 15.

Bravo my friend!