The toughest anti-smoking legislation came into effect on January 2,2011.

Smoking is no longer permitted in open spaces belonging to hospitals or health centres, such as carparks.

I was always  previously bemused when I arrived at Hospital Verge de la Cinta ,( the one on the top of the hill with the best views of Tortosa, the castle and beyond) to see a cluster of medical staff huddled outside the entrance door to the Out Patients clinics  puffing away. Two metres inside the doorway and the walls are plastered with signposts  of Sin fume.

Yesterday, the group was conspicuous by their absence.

As you pass by the outside steps to the Cafeteria, there is a new map signposted with two areas circled in red. Now I didn’t have time to stop and digest, but one assumes they have designated two permitted areas that allows smoking.

So please don’t celebrate when you find that hard-fought for carpark space up there or in the old castle moat (now water free), and light up. They are vigilant about stamping this out as the fines are steep.

Furthermore, you may no longer smoke while you rest on your laurels in public children parks.

Well, maybe that will give the influx of Mossos d’Esquerra to venture out of their posh new building, on foot to monitor the situation, otherwise the Police Local will be busy buzzing about on their motos.

But there is rough justice in all of this. Prison inmates are still allowed to smoke, so if you can’t pay your fine…

Rosie Reay’s Catalan Phrase of the day: Fins demà – see you tomorrow.