In an effort to promote public health, Spain may outlaw vaping and smoking in cars as well as on all beaches.
The European nation will give the suggestion serious thought as it moves forward with the strict new regulations in an effort to prevent the population from being sick to the point of death. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention state that smoking increases the risk of developing diabetes, lung conditions, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
The crackdown was verified by the Spanish Ministry of Health, which is the next step in their goal to outlaw the drug’s usage for recreational purposes. The government originally implemented the smoking ban in bars in 2005 in an effort to lower the alarmingly high rates in the nation.
According to The Guardian, a 60-year-old doorman named Juan Ramirez made fun of the prohibition by lighting up his cigarette in a Madrid bar while sipping a glass of red wine and asking, “Why don’t they let us smokers in peace? What more are they going to forbid? strolling across the street?”
To his dismay, the plan was effective, as many smokers attempted to quit rather than have to endure the cold while waiting for their fix. The government went one step further in 2011 and outlawed smoking in any enclosed area. The goal has been and still is to change the nation from one that was notorious for the stench of cigarettes to one that is health-conscious and among the strictest smoke-free countries in Europe.
Reviving the anti-smoking proposal, which would make beaches, terraces, and cars with children or pregnant women inside completely no-smoking zones, is now the top priority.
The Health Minister clarified, saying that we cannot ignore the one policy that can increase life expectancy and improve quality of life for the populace: smoking cessation. Therefore, we need to reexamine the legislation.
The Comprehensive Plan for the Prevention and Control of Smoking was formally finalised one and a half years ago. Unfortunately, it hasn’t succeeded, and Garcia says she would really like to “take it out of the drawer” in an effort to permanently kick her nicotine addiction.
The first thing to do is take it out of the box, she stated. Every case and every assumption will need to be examined. We do have a clear commitment to those recommendations, but we do intend to evaluate the details of that plan to see whether it needs to be expanded or adjusted.”
Garcia is adamant on restricting the use of vapes as well, stating: “This regulation has to encompass nicotine releasers. “Vapers will need precise regulation,” and “that is adapted to all the regulations that exist regarding tobacco.”
Her intentions haven’t been well received by everyone, of course. Some, like Madrid’s mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida, argue that the idea of outlawing smoking on patios is “nonsense.” He was furious: “From a health point of view, smoking, of course, is not the most recommended activity, but from there too, prohibiting it from being done outdoors seems crazy to me.”
In an aggressive attempt to address the 118 million cigarette butts that are discarded annually, Spanish vacation spots have already expanded the number of smoke-free beaches. The Balearics have added 28 new smoke-free beaches to its list.