Just days after the Spanish government unveiled plans for a significantly tougher anti-smoking law, strong opposition is emerging from the hospitality sector. Industry associations are warning of serious economic consequences and claim that as many as 30,000 bars could eventually be forced to close if smoking is banned on restaurant and bar terraces.
Spain Expat Press Editorial Team
by Marlon Gallego Bosbach
The planned reform of Spain’s tobacco law is currently sparking heated debate. While Health Minister Mónica García describes the legislation as an important step towards protecting public health, the hospitality sector believes its very survival is at risk. The proposed ban on smoking on outdoor terraces in particular has drawn strong criticism.
Hospitality sector fears thousands of business closures
Several Spanish hotel and hospitality associations have united in opposition to the proposed legislation in recent days. According to industry representatives, up to 30,000 bars and cafés across Spain could close in the worst-case scenario if guests are no longer allowed to smoke on terraces in the future.
The associations argue that small family-run businesses in particular rely heavily on customers who specifically choose to sit on a terrace. Many smokers would shorten their stay or avoid visiting restaurants altogether if they had to leave the outdoor area in order to smoke.
In a country like Spain, where social life takes place on terraces for much of the year, such a ban could have significant economic consequences. The hospitality sector is also warning of falling revenues, job losses and further pressure on an industry that in many areas is only slowly recovering from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. However, the frequently cited figure of 30,000 potential closures comes from industry associations and has not yet been confirmed by independent studies.
What the government is planning
Earlier this week, the Spanish government approved the draft of a new anti-smoking law. According to the Ministry of Health, the aim is to significantly expand protection against passive smoking while also introducing stricter regulations for new nicotine products.
Under the current plans, smoking and vaping would be banned in future on the terraces of bars, restaurants and cafés, as well as on beaches, riverbanks and in national parks. The new regulations would also be extended to playgrounds, university campuses, public sports facilities, outdoor swimming pools and work vehicles. In addition, smoking would be prohibited within a 15-metre radius of schools, hospitals and other public facilities.
Another major change concerns alternative nicotine products: for the first time, e-cigarettes, vapes, nicotine pouches, water pipes and heated tobacco products would be subject to the same legal restrictions as conventional tobacco cigarettes. With this move, the government is responding to the growing use of these products and aims to close existing regulatory loopholes.
Government cites public health protection
Health Minister Mónica García is defending the reform in strong terms. According to the ministry, around 50,000 people in Spain die every year as a result of tobacco consumption. It also states that approximately one in three cancer cases is linked to smoking.
The minister stressed that guests on restaurant terraces should be able to enjoy a coffee or a meal without having to inhale smoke from other tables. At the same time, she said the law needed to be adapted to new forms of consumption, such as vapes and nicotine pouches, which have grown significantly in popularity in recent years.
Opposition calls for compromises
However, the law has not yet been approved. The draft must first pass through the Spanish Parliament, where the minority government depends on the support of other parties.
The opposition People’s Party (PP) has already indicated that it is calling for changes. These include designated smoking areas and guarantees that the hospitality sector will not be disproportionately burdened by the legislation. It therefore remains unclear whether the draft will be approved in its current form or undergo further amendments.
Tourism sector also sees risks
Alongside the hospitality sector, representatives from tourist regions have also voiced concerns. They fear that stricter smoking restrictions could deter some holidaymakers, particularly visitors from countries with more relaxed regulations.
Spain is one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations, and for many tourists, spending time on café and restaurant terraces is an essential part of the Spanish holiday experience. Critics therefore warn that a general smoking ban on terraces could make the leisure and hospitality offering less appealing from the perspective of some visitors.
Smoking ban would be biggest tightening of regulations since 2011
If the law is approved, it would represent the most far-reaching tightening of Spain’s anti-smoking regulations in more than a decade.
Spain introduced a smoking ban in workplaces as early as 2005. Since 2011, a comprehensive ban on smoking has also been in place in bars, restaurants and other enclosed public spaces. With the new reform, numerous outdoor areas as well as modern nicotine products would for the first time be comprehensively included in the legislation.
Spain first introduced a smoking ban in workplaces in 2005. Since 2011, smoking has also been prohibited in bars, restaurants and other enclosed public spaces. With the new reform, numerous outdoor areas as well as modern nicotine products would, for the first time, become subject to comprehensive regulation under the law.
