Smoke-free.

A happy announcement (from my perspective, at least): as of yesterday, Romania is smoke-free in public places!!!

Though Romania has been part of the European Union since 2008, it lags behind in a number of ways -- for example, we still use the Romanian leu instead of the euro.  Also, until March 15, Romanian restaurants, bars, train stations, you name it, were hazy and gray.  But yesterday the law changed, and people now have to step outside to light up.

As a non-smoker and a person with allergies, I am personally thrilled.  I know for some people, this is a frustrating change.  But in the interest of public health, I am really grateful that Romania has put this into law.  And yesterday evening, as we went out for dinner with some visiting guests, I was pleasantly surprised, as person after person in the restaurant quietly got up, slipped on their jacket, and stepped outside for a short smoke.  The air was clearer than I had ever seen it inside that restaurant.  I had expected more complaining or resistance, I guess -- but nope.  The change was made, and that was that.  Hooray!