Though I once talked about smokers, the people, now I call upon the act. Recently, with the new legislation about smoking, a lot has been said and done, but the most annoying thing is the journalistic revolution that was created around this subject. Seriously, can news be more uninteresting and shallow? Yes they can, but I hope I never see the moment that chewing gum will be forbidden in public places! Not that it should not happen but is just that it is too stupid, even for me! The head of the department that is going to make sure that the law is put into practice was caught smoking in a place forbidden by law, a casino, and answered that the laws of gambling are superior to every other law. Besides amazingly stupid, this is immoral, and according to his statement it is not illegal to shoot someone in the head because the laws of gambling are superior and there is no gambling law that states to be illegal to kill someone inside a casino! Therefore, can you kill someone? Yes, if you're in a casino! Is it illegal? Yes, unless you are in a casino! Fortunately, there are no casinos in Ribeira, in Porto.
According to this new law, the only places you can smoke are the smoking lounges that can be created in places big enough for having both zones. Although this might seem as an enclosure and a kind of lung apartheid, it is also a good way to socialize and, these bonding places are actually a soothing bright light in this law. I like to call it the bright side of the law! Now, outside a café or a pub, you see people talking, most of them have already seen each other inside at another table but never talked, and due to this law they are communicating. I have friends that have never smoked in their life but are planning to start so that they can meet new people! A few years ago we had IRC (Internet Relay Channel) and now we have SRC (Smoking Relay Chamber)!
So the bright side of the law for today is... Smoke for your social life!
