SPAIN SPLIT ON SMOKING BAN

News

Staff Reporter / 2010-01-05 14:55:55

To be banned?

Originally set to be implemented on the 1^st of January this year, the smoking ban is still being debated in the halls of power here in Spain with opposition parties failing to agree and Madrid setting its own rules.

Spain’s Health Minister Trinidad Jiménez has stated that she wants a new tobacco ban prohibiting smoking in all public places throughout Spain to go into effect as soon as the ruling Socialist Party can gather cross party support for its ratification by Congress.

TheUnited Left (IU) and Catalan Nationalist (CiU) approve the across-the-board ban but the major opposition Popular Party has not officially said whether it will support it. However, Madrid regional health chief Juan José Güemes, a member of thePP, said Monday he didn’t believe that the ban would work in the capital. “You never get good results from banning something,” Güemes said. “Restrictions mean curtailing freedoms and you have to be very careful about limiting individual guarantees.”

Deputy leader of the Madrid region, Ignacio González, also of the PP, said that his government would defend smokers’ rights “I believe that when it comes to the tobacco issue, one has to maintain some degree of respect — of course, at the same time looking at the legality of the legislation, but also ensuring that there is freedom to choose.”

It was in 2005, that the government introduced a tobacco law that has been poorly enforced. Under the regulations, public places more than 100-square-meters had to have a separate area for smokers. But a year later, a survey showed that more than half of the businesses around the country didn’t stick to the ban.

Madrid is different and the Madrid regional government issued its own decree, giving more freedom to smokers, such as allowing them to light up at certain areas at work and eliminating the 100-square-meter rule in the capital.

However, the PP regional governments seem divided over the introduction of the nationwide tobacco ban. Manuel Cervera, the health chief in Valencia, supports the Socialist government’s initiative. However, he criticizes the way the government may go about implementing it without considering alternatives for smokers.

Tags: Smoking Ban, Spain, Partido Popular

Comments

Julie 25-04-2010 / 00:42

Smoking is completely unhealthy and your clothes STINK of smoke!!! Ban it ASAP - why is Spain behind everyone else?????

mick 18-01-2010 / 12:00

I dont understand the fuss. Has nobody heard of the Electronic Cigarettes that deliver the smoker with their nicotine fix while not have passive smoking issues. They are not covered by the smoking ban, therefore can be used in bars and restaurants. Even Ryan Air are selling them on planes.

Is this just not about moving on with technology which in fact is a more healthy solution to tobacco cigarettes?

I dont understand why people just dont embrace this and everyone will be happy... including the smokers. Its even cheaper!

Mick Graham

chris 14-01-2010 / 15:49

Jade Dragon: Most people breathe just fine in areas where there is smoking. If you have some medical condition that makes breathing difficult, there should be a separate room for you--a non-smoking area alongside the smoking area for you and those who just plain don't like smoke. The weather in Spain may be almost perfect, but you must be aware that in Britain it's far from that. That's why I don't spend my tourist dollar in Britain any more.

Jade Dragon 13-01-2010 / 15:28

It's not about personal choice if you are struggling to breathe. The weather in Spain is almost perfect, the smokers can go outside like they do in the UK. Everyone I know who smokes issmoking less when they go out in the UK. This has to be a good thing,

Jayne 13-01-2010 / 12:09

As a non-smoker I believe in freedom of choice but I don't have any if I want to go out in Spain. There should be a smoking and non-smoking area. Unfortunately, in Spain this is extremely rare because almost every bar allows smoking with no area for the long suffering non-smokers. I am fed up of going home stinking like an ashtray because there is not one bar in the whole of Girona where there is a non-smoking area. Restaurants are a bit better but I still ahave to avoid some really good ones because the smell of smoke spoils the great food. Keep the freedom of choice but don't forget a lot us us do not choose to smoke so respect that too!

John 11-01-2010 / 14:18

It depends on whether they want to see all but a few bars favoured by non smokers close,as has happened in England

harleyrider1978 10-01-2010 / 00:45

Since 1981 there have been 148 reported studies on ETS, involving spouses, children and workplace exposure. 124 of these studies showed no significant causal relationship between second hand smoke and lung cancer. Of the 24 which showed some risk, only two had a Relative Risk Factor over 3.0 and none higher. What does this mean. To put it in perspective, Robert Temple, director of drug evaluation at the Food and Drug Administration said "My basic rule is if the relative risk isn't at least 3 or 4, forget it." The National Cancer Institute states "Relative risks of less than 2 are considered small and are usually difficult to interpret. Such increases may be due to mere chance, statistical bias, or the effect of confounding factors that are sometimes not evident." Dr. Kabat, IAQC epidemiologist states "An association is generally considered weak if the relative risk is under 3.0 and particularly when it is under 2.0, as is the case in the relationship of ETS and lung cancer. Therefore, you can see any concern of second hand smoke causing lung cancer is highly questionable." Note that the Relative Risk (RR) of lung cancer for persons drinking whole milk is 2.14 and all cancers from chlorinated water ranked at 1.25. These are higher risks than the average ETS risk. If we believe second hand smoke to be a danger for lung cancer then we should also never drink milk or chlorinated water.

James 08-01-2010 / 20:25

Tobacco is a perfectly legal product, giving up is a personal choice and not one to be dictated by government. Smokers should be treated with as much respect as non smokers and separate venues and a choice of air managed indoor areas should be provided.
Blanket smoking bans are not necessary, the ban here in the UK has resulted in massive closures across the hospitality industry and the loss of at least one hundred of thousand jobs.
The number of people smoking here in the UK since the ban, has not noticeably reduced. Blanket smoking bans are about nothing but governments taking away personal freedom and property rights, they don't work.
There should be a choice of smoking and non smoking venues and areas to suit everyone.

chris 06-01-2010 / 22:41

How amazing to see a government official actually acknowlege that smokers have rights, too! I guess 40+ years of Franco and fascism has inoculated the Spanish people (and even some of their leaders) against attempts to smeak it back in through the back door. Viva Espana!

fred 06-01-2010 / 03:41

The smoking ban is not a bad idea, so long as decent precautions are taken. Most restaurants are building outdoor patios where smokers can sit. It is understandable that someone can be annoyed by second hand smoke, but not being able to smoke makes a smokers evening much worse than yours when you have to smell him or her. Recently my wife and I decided we should quit smoking. We tried almost everything but finally we found these new electronic cigarettes. They are fantastic, and don't produce the same annoying second hand smoke. Our friends don't mind sitting with us over dinner anymore, and I love the taste and as a couple we are saving almost $300 a month by switching over. I put up a blog chronicling our adventure if anyone wants to read.

http://www.quitcigs.us.tt

I know it isn't 100% up to date. I wrote some posts while I was on vacation and I will get them up asap, I promise.