Spain’s government introduced a bill to ban smoking at outdoor venues, including beaches, sports stadiums, bars and restaurant terraces, bus stops and stadiums.
The ban includes e-cigarettes and vapes. Indoor smoking in Spain has been banned since 2011.
According to Reuters, role players within the hospitality industry said the bill will affect tourism negatively, as outdoor spaces and beaches are very popular in Spain.
The industry said that year-round outdoor terraces are a hallmark of Spanish social life and a favoured spot for smokers.
The countries health minister, Monica Garcia, said the government will always put public health ahead of private interests. “Everyone has a right to breathe clean air and live longer, healthier lives.”
The tobacco information website, Tobacco Atlas, found in a study that more than a quarter of Spain residents, or 10,1 million people, are active smokers.
According to the website, more than 10% of deaths in Spain can be directly attributed to smoking.
The bill still needs to be approved by the parliament and can be amended.
A similar ban was approved in France, with Europe considered to be the world’s heaviest smoking continent.
