It's happening: ABORTION ADS BANNED IN RUSSIA.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I bit off topic, but since you brought it up... the effect has been pretty phenomenal, compared to 10-15 years ago. I can now go into many clubs, restaurants, and other public buildings and breath freely. I first saw this in Germany, then again in California before it was very widespread. Glad it happened!

Where in Germany did you see this first? Smoking bans have been in effect in many states in the US - most certainly in California - long before they came into effect in Germany. California started banning smoking in the mid 90's while the first state to ban smoking in restaurants in Germany was Berlin and that happened in 2007. Other states have since followed and smoking is now mostly banned in restaurants though it is still not banned in bars and clubs to this day.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Where in Germany did you see this first? Smoking bans have been in effect in many states in the US - most certainly in California - long before they came into effect in Germany. California started banning smoking in the mid 90's while the first state to ban smoking in restaurants in Germany was Berlin and that happened in 2007. Other states have since followed and smoking is now mostly banned in restaurants though it is still not banned in bars and clubs to this day.

Berlin was horribly smoky, but I don't remember it being that way in Munich. Are the smoking laws different from region to region?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Berlin was horribly smoky, but I don't remember it being that way in Munich. Are the smoking laws different from region to region?

Yes, they are. States regulate these things as they see fit. Berlin was the first to ban smoking in restaurants. Bavaria now has one of the strictest and most far-reaching smoking bans in place, however. Think they did this by popular referendum there.

I remember the days not too long ago when one could smoke freely in German airports, for example, when smoking was already banned in most US airports. People used to smoke in subways and city trains, certainly in the stations. Things have changed rather quickly, though. Now there's not much smoke going around any of these place anymore. It's gotten much better quickly.