Spanish government moves forward with anti-smoking law

Spain’s Council of Ministers approved a draft law on tobacco restrictions this Tuesday. 

With their approval, the law is ready to be sent to Congress to begin its parliamentary procedure before it can become fully in force.

The law, drafted in September of 2025, modifies the 2005 law to expand smoke-free spaces. 

The law also introduces a ban on tobacco consumption by minors and limits advertising of related products. 

The list of spaces prohibited in this law includes bar and restaurant terraces, public transport stops, beaches, public swimming pools, sports facilities, national parks, work vehicles and public entertainment venues.  

The law will also prohibit smoking within a 15-meter radius of entrances to public buildings, health centers, social centers, educational centers, universities, research centers, museums, libraries, cultural centers, sports centers and children's parks. 

The consumption of tobacco by minors will be prohibited by the law, as well as any promotion, advertising or sponsorship of tobacco in any media. 

Up until now the sale and supply of tobacco to those under 18 years of age was prohibited, but the consumption of tobacco was not specified. 

The law also applies to electronic cigarettes and related products, in addition to conventional tobacco. 

These changes respond to an increase in consumption patterns, especially among young people, and the rise of new products such as electronic cigarettes. 

European Union goals 

In 2024 the European Commission urged its member states to introduce a ban on smoking in bars and restaurant terraces to protect the citizens, especially children. 

The recommendation is that EU governments expand smoke-free areas to places where there are lots of children, such as public parks, swimming pools or restaurants. 

According to SmokeFree Partnership, smoking bans work. "They help create a smoke-free generation, because if a child doesn't see people smoking, then they will not want to smoke."

In 2024, the EU provided a €96 million aid to promote the regulation within the member states. 

The goal of the ban is to end the normalization of tobacco use and bring down the European population that smokes to 5% by 2040. 

Outside Spain

Other countries in the EU have implemented a ban, or are moving in that direction. 

Sweden is the only EU member state that has a complete ban on smoking, created in 2019. 

In the Scandinavian country there is no smoking in bars or restaurant terraces, as well as building entrances, stadiums and transport stops. 

Belgium is another country in the EU that is making efforts to reduce or ban smoking. The government there has passed a law that will be enforced at the start of 2027, and bans smoking on all terraces and bars or within 10 meters of the area. 

In other countries, such as Lithuania and Latvia, partial restrictions apply, meaning smoking is only allowed in "designated areas" in bar and restaurant terraces.