(Not) Smoking in Tenerife

Since the introduction of the new anti-smoking laws in January, going out for a drink or a meal has taken on a whole new meaning. The outside of some bars can be far more crowded than the inside, simply because you can smoke out there. So going ‘out’ for a drink must now be much more literally interpreted. It mainly involves standing outside bars and sitting outside restaurants.

If you’re familiar with this blog, then you’ll know that I don't smoke (1 month now, crikey!), but my wife does, as do friends and colleagues. Now I tend to go to a bar in order to be sociable. I don’t tend to stand and drink by myself, nor do I sit and eat alone. So if I want to talk to anyone, I find myself outside too. And at night, it can get pretty bloody chilly, even here in Tenerife. I can’t help thinking that I am freezing my nether regions off, without getting any recompense. This law may well drive me back to smoking, because it seems to me, if I have to stand out there, I may as well be getting the benefit of enjoying a smoke.

Pamela Heywood, in Secret Tenerife, suggests that the smallest bars may now be doing an about face and allowing smoking. But, as I understand it, any larger than 100 customer capacity, and the bar/restaurant needs to have a separate, air tight, vacuum packed area for smokers. Which is, of course, rare! So any bar of any size is non smoking.

The most amusing repercussion of this law that I can share is from the partyland of Las Americas. Lambert & Butler, the ciggie brand, sponsor a regular evening at one bar where they hand out free fags, T shirts and merchandising. However, the bar they do this in is now non smoking. So the promo girls hand out their free sample packs of cigs to the eager punters. And then they’re are closely followed by bouncers waving threatening fingers at the recipients of the freebies “If you’re gonna smoke that mate, you’re gonna do it outside!”

Perhaps they should forget putting the logo on T shirts and instead choose some warmer articles of clothing for their clientele. I’m sure, nowadays, that Lambert & Butler scarves, gloves and anoraks would go down much better.