The approval of the anti-smoking law, which took effect in January 2006 during the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, represented a radical shift in leisure and public health. Prior to this date, smoking was common in indoor spaces such as bars, restaurants, hotels, and workplaces. The initial regulation allowed some tolerance zones, but a subsequent update in 2010 completely eliminated these exceptions.
“"No one can dispute that the balance is positive. It was a great change in the public health of our country. No one would reverse it now, despite all the controversy at the time."
Data from the Ministry of Health confirm the positive impact: the percentage of daily smokers over 15 years old has fallen from 31.7% in 2001 to 16.6% in 2023, setting historic lows. Furthermore, studies estimated a 20% decrease in myocardial infarctions in the years immediately following the first regulation's approval.
Currently, the Ministry of Health is promoting a draft bill to expand smoke-free areas, including beaches, playgrounds, and, highly controversially, bar and restaurant terraces. This measure has met with strong opposition from the hospitality sector, which claims unfair comparison with other European countries like France, Italy, or Germany.
“"We believe this is an unjustified excess. Obviously, in an open space there are thousands of substances that can be harmful, but tobacco smoke does not pose a coexistence problem on terraces."
Public health experts, such as Dr. Esteve Fernández, Secretary of Public Health of the Generalitat, advocate for tightening the regulation to further denormalize smoking. Dr. Enriqueta Felip, from Hospital Vall d’Hebron de Barcelona, emphasizes that between 85% and 90% of lung cancers are tobacco-related, and that the new legislation would help create a smoke-free generation.
