Spain is preparing to tighten its anti-smoking laws by expanding smoke-free zones to include bar and restaurant terraces, cars and public parks.
The Council of Ministers approved on Tuesday a draft law that, if passed, would mark the most significant extension of tobacco restrictions in more than a decade. The proposal also seeks to regulate new forms of smoking, such as heated tobacco and vaping, while banning single-use e-cigarettes.
Health officials argue the reform is designed to discourage new generations from taking up smoking and to reduce a prevalence rate that has remained stubbornly unchanged in recent years. The draft text will now undergo further review within the Sánchez government before being debated in Congress, where parliamentary groups will decide whether and how it is approved.
Public-health experts have long pressed for tougher measures, pointing to evidence that outdoor second-hand smoke still poses risks and that terraces often expose workers to continuous exposure. Campaigners also note the environmental burden of discarded cigarette butts.
While hospitality groups are expected to lobby hard against the measure, the Ministry of Health has placed it among its top priorities for the current legislature. The outcome of parliamentary debate will determine whether Spain joins other European nations that have already adopted wide-ranging terrace bans.
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