Brits face SMOKING BAN in Spain with lighting up around the pool, in outdoor clubs & even on sunny terraces outlawed
BRITS heading to Spain may be in for a surprise as a tough new smoking ban has been proposed - applying to even terraces, swimming pools and open-air nightclubs.
This new push to expand smoke-free zones across the country builds on the Spanish government's anti-smoking plan approved over a year ago.
The measure - approved today by Spain's Ministry of Health - aims to expand smoke-free zones to include terraces, bus stops, work vehicles, university campuses, public swimming pools and open-air nightclubs.
Spain's Minister of Health Mónica García told El Pais she was pushing for the bill so that "Spain can once again be at the forefront of anti-tobacco policies."
She said: "I hope we don't give in to the lobbies that are exerting significant pressure, as they always have.
"And the tobacco lobby is doing its job. But ours is to defend the health of the population, of the citizens."
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García added the proposed ban would also apply to e-cigarettes and heated tobacco devices - not just traditional tobacco.
The law now awaits approval from Spain’s Council of Ministers before heading to parliament for a vote by the ruling parties.
The draft decree has already been sent to European authorities for review and public comment.
As part of its anti-smoking plan, Pedro Sánchez' government has been boosting resources for smokers trying to quit and planning to introduce a tax hike on tobacco and related products.
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While this smoking ban will apply nationwide, similar restrictions have already been rolled out on Spanish beaches.
A smoking ban on L'Albir, a popular beach in Alicante, was announced in March.
The mayor of L'Alfas Vincente Arques said: "This measure is part of the council's policy to position ourselves as a benchmark for healthy international tourism."
There are currently 50 smoke-free beaches in the Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Menorca, Majorca), according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
The use of vapes has been banned in ten beaches in Barcelona and 28 across the Balearic Islands, the Spanish outlet added.
It comes as Spain has been hit by a wave of protests against overtourism.
Thousands flooded the streets of the Canary Islands in mid-May in Spain's third wave of protests this year.
Demonstrations took place across the Spanish archipelago's islands, including Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura.
Locals have been calling for stricter controls on hotels and Airbnb-style holiday rentals to keep housing affordable for residents.
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Spain's first mass anti-tourist protests of the year kicked off in April after thousands of people across 40 cities took to the streets.
