First effects of anti-smoking laws in Spain
Much of the Spanish media has been obsessed with the new anti-smoking laws in Spain which in theory came into effect one second after midnight on New Years Eve. Radio, newspapers and television gave the new laws massive coverage during the last week of December and during the first few days of January, interviewing people with all sorts of opinions, smokers and non-smokers alike.
According to the new law, smoking is now forbidden in all places of work, both public and private and all public buildings. Employees who want to smoke must do so outside, and must make up the time lost at work too.
Restaurants, discos and bars over 100m2 must provide a separate area for smokers which must be equipped with clear signs, be properly divided from the main area with its own ventilation system, must not be in an area where people have to walk through to get in or out of the establishment and can not be more than 30 percent of the total area of the establishment and never more than 300 metres. Any establishments unable to provide a separate area with the said features are obliged to prohibit smoking altogether.
Owners of bars, cafes and restaurants under 100m2 can decide whether or not to allow smoking on the premises. Shops, supermarkets, newsagents (kioscos) etc. are no longer authorised to sell cigarettes, cigars or tobacco. The only establishments allowed to sell tobacco are licensed estancos, the traditional stamp and cigarette shops in Spain.
We travelled to north-west Spain last week for a short trip and it was interesting to see the regional differences in how the law was (not) being applied. In Castilla Leon, a region dominated by the opposition PP party, we did not come across one single establishment where it was forbidden to smoke. All small cafes and bars we visited in Avila and Zamora had notices in their windows saying "Smoking permitted on these premises". In the parador of Avila and the Parador of Zamora we were asked whether we wanted to sit at a table for smokers or non-smokers. Although we said non-smokers, we were placed at a table next to a couple of smokers, so the area made available for people wishing to smoke wasn't exactly far away from non-smokers. And smoking was permitted in the cafes of both paradors.
Further south in Castilla la Mancha however (governed by the PSOE), things were different. In Alarcon Parador smoking is now forbidden in the restaurant and in parador rooms, and when we rang to book a table at the restaurant Las Rejas, we were "warned" by the person who took the booking over the phone that the restaurant was now a smoke-free zone.
And finally yesterday, when we went to collect some family members arriving at Alicante Airport, it was amusing to watch from the barrier hoards of mostly British and German tourists lighting up cigarretes as soon as they approached the arrivals barrier, completely oblivious to the continuous bilingual announcements on the airport tannoy system politely, but firmly, informing everyone that it was now forbidden to smoke in any public buildings in Spain, including inside the airport, except in the special areas made available for smokers.
In all regions we did seem to notice more people smoking in the streets, but that may be just have been because we were looking out for smokers more than usual. According to news reports a couple of days ago, local authorities are now worried about the increased amount of cigarette stubs on the pavements outside large office buildings and are appealing to smokers to deposit their stubs in the external ashtrays provided. We noticed that some shops, especially in the North, were still selling cigarretes. And there were still alot of cigarrete machines around.
So, it remains to be seen just how effective the new law proves to be. I have never ever seen the cashier at the local branch of my bank serve people without a cigarette burning in an old red ashtray next to her which she usually smokes infront of customers between transactions. I went to withdraw some money on New Years Eve, and there was still one burning away at her side and I was tempted to say "ultimo día, eh?", but didn't. I am looking forward to going next week to see if the ashtray is still there, lying empty next to her. Perhaps she will be one of the 500,000 people the Spanish government hopes will give up smoking thanks to the new restrictions. Or maybe she'll be puffing away on the pavement outside, watching the queue of customers getting longer and longer!
Related:
Smoking in Spain
Smoking to be banned on RENFE trains
Increase in women smokers in Spain
New fines in Spain for illegal smoking
New anti-tobacco reforms in Spain
According to the new law, smoking is now forbidden in all places of work, both public and private and all public buildings. Employees who want to smoke must do so outside, and must make up the time lost at work too.
Restaurants, discos and bars over 100m2 must provide a separate area for smokers which must be equipped with clear signs, be properly divided from the main area with its own ventilation system, must not be in an area where people have to walk through to get in or out of the establishment and can not be more than 30 percent of the total area of the establishment and never more than 300 metres. Any establishments unable to provide a separate area with the said features are obliged to prohibit smoking altogether.
Owners of bars, cafes and restaurants under 100m2 can decide whether or not to allow smoking on the premises. Shops, supermarkets, newsagents (kioscos) etc. are no longer authorised to sell cigarettes, cigars or tobacco. The only establishments allowed to sell tobacco are licensed estancos, the traditional stamp and cigarette shops in Spain.
We travelled to north-west Spain last week for a short trip and it was interesting to see the regional differences in how the law was (not) being applied. In Castilla Leon, a region dominated by the opposition PP party, we did not come across one single establishment where it was forbidden to smoke. All small cafes and bars we visited in Avila and Zamora had notices in their windows saying "Smoking permitted on these premises". In the parador of Avila and the Parador of Zamora we were asked whether we wanted to sit at a table for smokers or non-smokers. Although we said non-smokers, we were placed at a table next to a couple of smokers, so the area made available for people wishing to smoke wasn't exactly far away from non-smokers. And smoking was permitted in the cafes of both paradors.
Further south in Castilla la Mancha however (governed by the PSOE), things were different. In Alarcon Parador smoking is now forbidden in the restaurant and in parador rooms, and when we rang to book a table at the restaurant Las Rejas, we were "warned" by the person who took the booking over the phone that the restaurant was now a smoke-free zone.
And finally yesterday, when we went to collect some family members arriving at Alicante Airport, it was amusing to watch from the barrier hoards of mostly British and German tourists lighting up cigarretes as soon as they approached the arrivals barrier, completely oblivious to the continuous bilingual announcements on the airport tannoy system politely, but firmly, informing everyone that it was now forbidden to smoke in any public buildings in Spain, including inside the airport, except in the special areas made available for smokers.
In all regions we did seem to notice more people smoking in the streets, but that may be just have been because we were looking out for smokers more than usual. According to news reports a couple of days ago, local authorities are now worried about the increased amount of cigarette stubs on the pavements outside large office buildings and are appealing to smokers to deposit their stubs in the external ashtrays provided. We noticed that some shops, especially in the North, were still selling cigarretes. And there were still alot of cigarrete machines around.
So, it remains to be seen just how effective the new law proves to be. I have never ever seen the cashier at the local branch of my bank serve people without a cigarette burning in an old red ashtray next to her which she usually smokes infront of customers between transactions. I went to withdraw some money on New Years Eve, and there was still one burning away at her side and I was tempted to say "ultimo día, eh?", but didn't. I am looking forward to going next week to see if the ashtray is still there, lying empty next to her. Perhaps she will be one of the 500,000 people the Spanish government hopes will give up smoking thanks to the new restrictions. Or maybe she'll be puffing away on the pavement outside, watching the queue of customers getting longer and longer!
Related:
Smoking in Spain
Smoking to be banned on RENFE trains
Increase in women smokers in Spain
New fines in Spain for illegal smoking
New anti-tobacco reforms in Spain
8 Comments:
Here in the Canary Islands, not much appears to have changed.
Smoking in the workplace is forbidden, however, while you can no longer buy tobacco in supermarkets in Madrid, there is a special dispensation in the new law which allows this to continue as before on the islands. The products just have to be out of the reach of minors. Otherwise, only the provisions over vending machines (many have just been removed) have been implemented.
As far as local bars and restaurants are concerned, we have yet to find one that does NOT have ashtrays on tables - which leads me to believe that they allow smoking on the premises still - but we have not yet seen any of the er, "obligatory" signs on the door of the premises that clearly announces the smoking policy.
Letter to the Editor, Jan.9/06
If the public was honestly and truthfully informed about the harmful effects
of second-hand smoke, there would be fewer no-smoking laws in this country.
Smoke from a handful of crushed leaves and some paper that is mixed with the
air of a decently ventilated venue is harmful to your health??
If anybody believes that, then I have I bridge I would like to sell them..
There has never been a single study showing that exposure to the low levels of smoke found in bars and restaurants with decent modern ventilation and filtration systems kills or harms anyone.
As to the annoyance of smoking, a compromise between smokers and non-smokers can be reached, through setting a quality standard and the use of modern ventilation technology.
Air ventilation can easily create a comfortable environment that removes not just passive smoke, but also and especially the potentially serious contaminants that are independent from smoking.
Thomas Laprade
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Ph. 807 3457258
There has never been a single study showing second-hand smoke kills or harms anyone - period.
And, personally, I would have thought that we are all - smokers and non-smokers - far more at risk from the fumes of factories, aircraft, motor vehicles, etc. Surely, one aircraft or one large factory much kick out more "muck" than all Spanish smokers combined? The effort that went into this law would be far better spent on general environmental issues.
From this, I reach the conclusion that governments (and I make no singular criticism as it seems to be a fashion at the moment) went after the smoking issue because it creates a smoke screen (pun intended) to make them appear to be tackling real issues, whilst avoiding the really difficult ones.
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
There is some serious misinformation in this comment section.
I suspect Mr. Laprade of a financial interest in so cavalierly promoting ventilation as a solution to secondhand smoke. Even the U.S.'s ASHRAE, the trade association of heating and ventilation engineers, states that ventilation is inadequate to deal with the health hazards of secondhand smoke -- even though such a solution would be of enormous financial benefit to its members.
Ms. heywood's comment, "There has never been a single study showing second-hand smoke kills or harms anyone - period" is so flat-out idiotic you wonder whatever possessed her to state it.
Readers would be wise to draw conclusions from normal, open, peer-tested science (links to which may be found at: http://www.tobacco.org/articles/category/ets/), and not from the ravings of message-board posters pulling unfounded assertions out of their nether regions.
I am now definately going to book my next holiday in a Spanish resort. Cant wait to be able to enjoy evening entertainment in hotels, etc., which I could not even go into before, as like a lot of middle aged people, I am now alergic to cigarette smoke. I think the word should be put around all the holiday travel agents and I am sure people will flock to Spain. I went for the day to Dublin, in Ireland, which is smoke free in public and the bars were all full. Am having to wait for the stupid English government to be as sensible as the Spanish and implement the ban which wont be till next year!
Annette Bertelsen, 12 Steeple Close, Oakwood, Derby, England. DE21 2DE
Margarine Lurpack
i think smoking is good for the environment and the hypocracy of this argument has been completely blown out of proportion. smoking does not kill and there is no evidence to suggest that lung cancer is linked to smoking. furthermore, you have more chance of been killed by a fridge than dying of a smoke related illness. i think you people are too brainwashed by the media which is owned bourgeoise. believe marxism!!
The smoking law in Spain has been a complete failure. All it has achieved is that more people now smoke, and especially women. Ignorance is widespread and smokers could not give a damn about where they smoke and in front of whom, regardless of age or medical condition. I severely recommend that anyone who is allergic to cigarette smoke does not holiday in Spain, and instead favours more respectable destinations where it is possible to relax without being suffocated in the process.
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