Describing people trying to protect themselves from the discomfort and other negative extrnalities of your habit as "silly," is itself rather absurd, and shows that you fail to appeciate the affects of your own lack of self-control upon others. That the world is finally starting to treat smokers the same as those with other anti-social addictions, makes perfectly good sense to me and most others.

To answer your specific question though, most of Brazil has never been a place to welcome smokers gladly -- although like many other things, they tolerate it despite their disapproval. There are few major cities in the world for instance, where smoking is practiced less frequently than in Rio de Janeiro, where most people are far too health conscioius (and socially conscious) to have taken up the habit. GIG has always had insufficient barriers around smoking areas, leading to a smelly mess whenever a flight bound for Europe is ready to leave. I certainly welcome the fresh air.