Spain’s minority left-wing government approved on Tuesday a draft law that would ban smoking and vaping in outdoor spaces including bar terraces, parks, university campuses and beaches.
For the first time law bans minors (under 18s) from consuming tobacco, not just from buying it. It also prevents the advertising, promotion or sponsorship of tobacco products, which pose severe health risks including cancer.
In addition it aims to prohibit smoking and vaping within a 15-metres radius of public buildings, public and private health clinics, social centres, educational and research institutions, museums, libraries, cultural centres, sports facilities and parks or children’s play areas.
The ban also extends to bus shelters, train platforms, sports facilities, public swimming pools, open-air events, national parks, workplaces, and vehicles such as taxis and other ride shares.
In particular it will have a big impact on restaurant and café terraces, where smoking is currently allowed and occurs frequently.
Health Minister Monica García said the aim was to expand restrictions beyond an indoor smoking ban introduced in 2010 “to better protect public health and move towards a tobacco-free generation”.
“The aim is simple: to make clean air the norm in shared spaces,” she told a news conference after the draft law was approved by the cabinet.
She explained that the reform includes restaurant terraces because pregnant women and people with asthma should be able to enjoy their meals and drinks without being exposed to smoke from nearby tables.
García also emphasised that smoking causes 50,000 deaths a year in Spain and that the new law could result in healthcare savings of between €100 and €200 million annually. She explained that smoking is a risk factor in around 30 percent of cancers.
“These resources can then be dedicated to addressing other needs of the system instead of treating preventable diseases,” she added.
The bans also extend to electronic cigarettes and vapes, including devices with and without nicotine, herbal smoking products, shisha pipes, and other products that mimic the act of smoking. Nicotine pouches are excluded from these bans, although minors are prohibited from using them.
The third part of the law focuses on advertising, promotion and sponsorship in any type of media.
“We’re equating new products with traditional tobacco, prohibiting advertising on the internet and social media, and reinforcing the limits on indirect promotion and commercial offers used to attract new consumers,” García explained.
These new measures build upon the anti-smoking laws already established in previous reforms, the last of which was 16 years ago.
This prohibited smoking inside bars, restaurants, and other enclosed food service establishments, as well as in vicinity of hospitals and in school playgrounds.
The draft law still must be approved by Congress where the government lacks a majority.
It is likely to spark a fierce backlash from the key hospitality sector in a country where outdoor dining is popular during searing summer heat.
Around 25 percent of Spain’s adult population smokes daily, according to the latest figures from the health authorities.
With additional reporting by AFP.
