This would be a fairly major change.
Catalonia are set to outlaw smoking in number of outdoor areas, following a recent proposal.
Smoking is set to be banned on the outdoor terraces of bars and restaurants, as well as in bus shelters and on train platforms, under proposals from the region’s health authority.
The ban would also extend to open-air sports facilities and perhaps most notably, inside cars.
The Guardian have reported that the changes that could come into place in a year’s time, are set to meet resistance from the hospitality industry.
As it stands, smoking is permitted only on terraces that are entirely or mostly in the open air.
At a national level, the Spanish government is considering raising the price of tobacco and banning smoking in cars when children are passengers.
A packet of cigarettes in Spain currently costs less than €5, compared to over €12 in Ireland.
The number of smokers in Spain has fallen to about 22%, which is the same as in Ireland, according to The HSE.
Ireland has recently set a target of being tobacco free by 2025, with the smoking ban recently being extended to cover outdoor areas where food is served.
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