Smoking ban on Spanish terraces stalled following early elections
The Ministry of Health's long-awaited plan to ban smoking on the terraces of bars and restaurants in Spain has been put on hold. This measure, which sought to expand smoke-free spaces across the country, was part of a broader bill aimed at improving public health and reducing tobacco consumption.
However, the recent calling of early general elections has forced a halt to the processing of this regulation. With the dissolution of the Cortes, all bills that had not been definitively approved have been paralyzed. This means that the proposal will not be able to move forward during the current legislative term.
The hospitality sector had shown divided opinions regarding this potential restriction. While some public health associations defended the measure as a necessary step to protect citizens from secondhand smoke, many bar owners feared that the ban would negatively affect their businesses and their customers' experience on the terraces.
For now, the regulations on tobacco consumption in public spaces remain the same as they were before. The final decision on whether this project will be resumed will depend on the new government formed after the elections. Citizens and the affected sectors will have to wait for the new executive to be established to learn the future of this regulation.