Smoking Ban in Spain To Take Effect for the New Year

Restaurants and bars in Spain are going to start looking very different.

Gone will be the days of lighting up over a meal as many public spaces become smoke-free zones starting January 2.

The Socialist Government wants to put the country in line with the European Union’s strictest anti-smoking nations.

It insists the new law is necessary as they blame smoking for 55,000 related deaths a year.

Many Spaniards see the ban as an attack on freedom of choice and an act of hypocrisy by the state.

[Unidentified Smoker]:
„I feel it is outrageous that they don’t let us smoke in establishments, but that the establishments can sell this, only so that the state can take more than 90 percent from each pack which is almost five euros.“

Bar and restaurant owners are afraid the law is going to be bad for business.

[Jose, Bar Owner]:
„From the business point of view it is going to be a considerable loss as there are a lot of people who come to the bar to drink their coffee while smoking a cigarette, and they are probably going to let the coffee go as they won’t be able to do it here.“

According to the Ministry of Health 30 percent of Spaniards smoke.

Foto: NTDTV