Spain plans to extend smoking ban to bar and restaurant terraces

Published on 29/05/2025 - 16:26 GMT+2

Spain is moving guardant pinch plans to widen smoking bans to nationalist spaces, including edifice terraces and outdoor areas successful bars, nan confederate European country's wellness curate announced connected Thursday.

More than a twelvemonth aft Spain's left-wing authorities conjugation passed its anti-smoking plan, Spain's Health Minister Monica García announced that "a actual draught of nan bill" had been completed successful an question and reply pinch Cadena SER radio.

García added that nan prospective prohibition would besides use to physics cigarettes and heated baccy devices, and not conscionable accepted tobacco.

García said she hoped that nan prohibition — which must still beryllium reviewed by nan government's assembly of ministers, arsenic good arsenic nan Spanish parliament's little location — would spot Spain "at nan forefront of nan conflict against smoking".

School playgrounds, assemblage campuses, institution vehicles, arsenic good arsenic outdoor festive events and nationalist carrier shelters, are among nan different places wherever nan prohibition would beryllium imposed.

As portion of its anti-smoking plan, nan Spanish authorities has besides been moving connected a scope of measures, including boosting resources disposable to individuals who wish to discontinue smoking, arsenic good arsenic introducing a taxation hike connected baccy and akin products.

Who other is considering a akin ban?

Spain has joined different European countries which person considered introducing akin laws pursuing a proposal by nan European Commission to widen smoking bans to further nationalist areas and see physics cigarettes.

In September 2024, French authorities announced they were moving connected a connection to prohibition smoking astatine outdoor edifice and café terraces.

Italy has mulled a akin rule since 2023, but nary advancement has been made connected a nationwide rule, barroom a prohibition successful Milan and a projected impermanent testing play successful Rome's 1st municipality, which encompasses astir of its historical centre.

Outside of nan EU, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said successful August 2024 that nan authorities was looking into much rigid rules connected outdoor smoking astatine pubs and restaurants, successful a bid to little preventable deaths linked to baccy use.

Opponents of nan authorities reason that it would beryllium excessively excessive and negatively effect mini businesses, which could suffer customers if nan prohibition were extended to outdoor areas.