Yes, they are that strict. The pub trade is dying, I'm socially isolated since I just don't go out anymore (why would I pay nearly 3 quid for a pint only to be stuck outside?), and it is insult to some of our most basic legal principles, namely property rights (a landlord should be able to allow or disallow smoking on his property as he sees fit). What really rubs salt in the wound is that it is founded on junk science and hysteria about the dangers of 'secondhand smoke'; dangers which are all but fabricated.
I do believe they are as strict as England's are in some states. So here they aren't even consistent, but the general rule is the further north you go the more anti-smoking laws there are. Largely because all of the tobacco is grown down south.
My usual straight is Senior Service which are filterless. I'd like to try filterless Camels, but round here all I've seen on sale are Camel lights for some reason.
Senior Service is a brand I've never heard of, but it's probably a local brand right? In Europe Camels aren't very popular unless you count Turkey that is. Why they aren't popular I don't know because they are great, but as it stands now Camels are still mostly an "All-American" smoke.
I don't know about American Marlboros though, I've only tried the EU made ones. It's funny that, because I'd have thought the American ones would be better, what with them originating there. Still, in America, I heard they add carpet glue to cigs to make them 'fire safe'. Apparently they leave a coppery taste in your mouth, have more chemicals in them, and require deeper and more frequent inhalations just to keep them lit.
I think the European ones have a slightly different blend of tobacco as well, but here Marlboro's just have a funny chemically aftertaste. As for the Fire Safe cigs, some companies add a chemical to make it go out others accomplish it by incorporating special "folds" in the paper to accomplish it. Which is one reason I'm such a Camel fan since they decided to use the fold method instead of adding chemicals. The state I live in doesn't even require FS cigs, but since so many states do they just make them all FS now. But if you're a lover of pipe tobacco the US is the place to be since the tax on loose pipe tobacco is practically non-existent in the South
Oh and I forgot to add if you can find Natural American Spirits in the UK they are great, especially since they have no chemical additives, and burn for ages.