The Spanish government has approved a draft for a new anti-tobacco law that will drastically expand smoke-free spaces and, for the first time, legally equate e-cigarettes (vapes) and other nicotine devices with traditional tobacco. Health Minister Mónica García defended the measure, highlighting that tobacco "takes the lives of 140 people a day in Spain, about 50,000 a year."
The extensive list of new smoke-free and vape-free zones includes:
- Terraces of bars and restaurants, without exceptions.
- Public swimming pools and sports facilities, even outdoors.
- Bus stops and public transport stations.
- Outdoor concerts, festivals, and shows.
- Children's parks and cultural spaces.
- Work vehicles, such as delivery vans.
A 15-meter smoke-free perimeter will also be established around entrances to hospitals, schools, universities, and museums.
Additional key measures include a complete ban on the sale of single-use disposable vapes (with a 12-month transition period to sell existing stock) and a comprehensive prohibition on advertising and promotion on social media, at festivals, and in public venues. For the first time, the law will also explicitly ban the *consumption* of these products by minors, not just their sale. The most serious violations of the new law could result in fines of up to €600,000. The draft must still undergo public hearings and parliamentary debate before it can take effect.
