I don't know what Spain you guys went to but I think Spain has some of the most relaxed pot laws in all Europe.
You can't walk more than half a block in Barcelona without getting a wiff of somebody lighting up right next to you.....
I know, its been like that since 2008-2009 when financial crisis started to set in. The point i was trying to make is that its not really about the actual laws, its about how they are policed, completely random, kinda depending on how the police who grabs you feel that day. You can get off with stern telling to and a wink, or they can throw the book at you, upto 1000€ fine, depending on what they feel like.
But all in all, tru dat, i never been in a place where you feel as safe and ok to smoke on the street as you do in spain.
On the other side you also have cops who use illegal weapons to beat up protesters and recently guardia civil beating up an old man lying down on the ground while having a heart attack. His crime? Trying to vote. Its not that we have lax laws, its rhat we have police of various degrees of laziness, and various degrees of bastardness.
Pais de la pandereta, gotta love it