Spain takes a new step in the fight against smoking and prepares a law that will significantly expand the areas where tobacco consumption and the use of electronic cigarettes will be prohibited. If adopted by Parliament, smoking will no longer be allowed, among other places, on bar and restaurant terraces, on beaches, and near public buildings.
The bill was approved on Tuesday by the Council of Ministers and represents the most extensive change to anti-smoking legislation in the last decade, as reported by Euronews.
No Smoking on Terraces, Beaches, and Near Schools
The reform updates the 2005 law and adapts it to new products containing nicotine, such as electronic cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and hookahs.
According to the project, smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes will be prohibited:
- on bar and restaurant terraces;
- on maritime and river beaches;
- in public pools;
- in sports facilities and venues;
- in national parks;
- in service vehicles, except those used exclusively for personal purposes;
- in spaces where public events take place.
In addition, smoke-free zones will be established within a 15-meter radius around the entrances of hospitals, schools, universities, libraries, museums, cultural centers, sports facilities, and children's playgrounds.
The Ministry of Health states that the purpose of the reform is to expand smoke-free areas, strengthen the protection of children and adolescents, and eliminate "legislative gaps" that have emerged with the spread of new nicotine-based products.
The new restrictions also target the over 600,000 Romanians living in Spain, one of the largest Romanian communities outside the country.
Electronic Cigarettes Treated the Same as Conventional Ones
Another important change is that electronic cigarettes, whether they contain nicotine or not, will be subject to the same regulations as conventional cigarettes.
The bans will also apply to smoking products made from plants, hookahs, and other devices that mimic the act of smoking.
Furthermore, the sale of these products will be restricted to specialized stores, which will have to comply with rules established later by the Ministry of Health. These units will no longer be allowed to display visible advertisements or posters from the outside.
Fines of Up to 600,000 Euros
The project introduces, for the first time, an explicit ban on tobacco product consumption by individuals under 18 years of age. Until now, Spanish legislation only prohibited the sale and supply of these products to minors.
For minors who violate the law, fines will start at 200 euros, but these can be replaced with community service.
The reform also tightens rules regarding advertising and promotion of tobacco products, including in the online environment. In audiovisual media, presenters, guests, and collaborators will no longer be able to appear smoking or promoting tobacco products or similar devices, and associated brands and logos cannot be displayed.
The new sanction system provides for fines ranging from 200 to 600,000 euros, depending on the seriousness of the violations.
According to Health Minister Mónica García, smoking causes approximately 50,000 deaths annually in Spain. The bill may still be amended before the final vote in Parliament.