Catalonia’s public health secretary, Esteve Fernández, is advocating for a nationwide ban on smoking at beaches to be included in Spain’s upcoming tobacco control law. Still in its early stages, the proposed legislation includes bans on smoking on bar and restaurant terraces, university campuses, and in work vehicles, but Fernández wants it to go further.
Fernández argues the ban is crucial to protect public health and reduce secondhand smoke exposure, and that cigarette butts contribute significantly to environmental pollution, as they contain toxic chemicals and decompose very slowly. Although Barcelona has banned smoking on its beaches since 2022, enforcement was initially lax. Across Catalonia, about 20 seaside municipalities already restrict smoking on 80 beaches.
Fernández stressed the need for decisive action to “denormalize” smoking in public spaces and foster a healthier society.