The Council of Ministers gave the green light on September 9 to the preliminary draft to the New tobacco law which extends smokeless spaces (including bars and restaurant terraces, beaches, sports venues, marques and vehicles for labor use) and equals traditional and electronic cigarettes in consumer, advertising and sale restrictions. Not only that, but also, in the parliamentary process, the Ministry of Health led by Minister Mónica García plans to recover the neutral packaging, initially excluded by internal disagreements, by means of amendment, as the department itself advanced. The norm must overcome the majority in Congress and could experience substantial changes in its processing. Despite saying the minister that there is a total consensus, the reality is another, since many sectors are not satisfied with the measures, calling it “disproportionate.”
The reactions have not stopped happening and although everyone agrees is that smoking is bad, what is criticized is not the end, but the measures applied without consent. Thus, hospitality of Spain tilda the proposal of “disproportionate” and warns of its impact on employment, tourist competitiveness and customer experience. To support this argument, the Employer refers to a 40DB survey in which seven out of ten citizens see the awareness more effective than direct prohibition, and more than half does not consider urgent tobacco on terraces.
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The sector insists that reference countries have chosen to expressly exclude terraces. France, whose new state law entered into force this summer for beaches, parks, marques and school environments, left out the terraces of coffee shops and restaurants.
On this we must bear in mind that Spain is a country that lives from tourism and in 2024, Spain received 93.8 million visitors, historical maximum; Only in July 2025 11.0 million arrived. Therefore, hospitality fears that the prohibition will generate confusion between travelers (especially British) and deteriorate the image of destiny against competitors.
The employer explains that the terraces are “a key space for social and economic life”, and alert of coexistence conflicts if consumption moves to private homes (where ventilation is worse), in addition to the additional burden for staff by assuming surveillance functions. They claim dialogue and a damage reduction approach with sensitization campaigns and effective sales control to minors. (Declarations and summary arguments of hospitality of Spain and sectoral testimonies.)
Stagnations and 99% of threatened tobacco agriculture
The Union of Esturable Associations rejects the computing of combustion products with alternatives without combustion, such as vapers or heated tobacco. In his opinion, this homogenization ignores the available evidence on relative and discouraged risks reduction that adult smokers migrate to potentially less harmful options. The employer insists that the debate should focus on protecting minors and ordering the points of sale, not “putting everything in the same bag” and moving a confusing public message.
In parallel, the ponds ask that the marketing of these devices be limited to skans and specialized stores, with traceability and age verification in each purchase. They argue that indiscriminate sale in bazaars or non -specialized businesses hinders control and feeds an opaque market that can end up in the hands of minors. The sector defends that the Swallows already operate under a concessional and inspection regime that would allow to strengthen information campaigns, monitoring of incidents and rapid withdrawal of non -compliant products.
On the other hand, Health aspires to introduce the neutral packaging during parliamentary process: boxes without logos or brand elements, standardized typography and predominant sanitary warnings. The Ministry argues that it is a scientific base measure that reduces the attractiveness of the product, delays the age of onset and favors abandonment. The ponds replicate that, without differentiating between combustion and non -combustion or ordering the sales channels well, the neutral packaging can push the consumer to an illegal market and subtract incentives to innovation oriented to the reduction of damage.
Without going very far, the tobacco table (which is the one that integrates cultivators, ponds, manufacturers and distributors) defends that Spain already has an advanced regulation and asks not to stop innovation in lower -risk products. In fact, in Extremadura, where it is concentrated around 98–99% of national crop, the sector remembers its role as a rural socioeconomic pillar and warns of indirect effects of the standard (demand fall and purchase transfers to third countries). Local and regional authorities demand that the government listen to the territory to balance public health and employment.
From the truckers to the airlines
As we know, the law prohibits smoking and vaping in vehicles for job use, including trucks and vans, regardless of whether the driver travels alone. Associations such as CETM and Fenadismer cross the measure of “disproportionate” and “discriminatory” compared to individuals, and alert additional stress on long distance routes.
But not only to land transport, as operators and analysts of the tourism sector anticipate by 2026 a regularization of demand from Germany and the United Kingdom for macro factors and destiny competence; The hospitality fears that a more restrictive frame in open spaces add pressure to that trend.
The “terrace effect” in tourism
The new anti -tabaco law has exceeded our borders, reaching the media around the world. The medium Euronews He points out that the ban on terraces and beaches could alter habits entrenched between British tourists (first issuer market) and condition the choice of destination against Portugal or other competitors. In this sense, Minister Mónica García defends that public health will prevail.
Given this scenario and for now, until next Tuesday, September 30, any citizen can send their observations to the Ministry of Health on the draft of the new tobacco law (it can be done through this link), which proposes to prohibit smoking and vaping in outdoor and labor leisure spaces and the comparison of products without combustion to the conventional cigarette