Spain prepares its new anti-smoking plan

The comprehensive tobacco prevention and control plan for 2024-2027 is expected to succeed the unfinished plan planned for 2021-2025. Several important measures have been announced, including the expansion of smoke-free areas and bans on smoking in vehicles, the details of which remain to be defined. This plan also includes increases in tobacco taxation.

Announced on March 14, 2024 by the Minister of Health, Monica Garcia, the comprehensive tobacco prevention and control plan (PIT) 2024-2027 is expected to be published at the end of 2024. Some of the measures it should contain, the legislative outlines of which remain to be defined, have been unveiled.

Smoking restrictions in public and private spaces

Among the measures being considered are smoking restrictions in public and private spaces in Spain. Smoke-free public spaces have yet to be defined, but could include terraces, public transport stations, and children's playgrounds. Such measures have already been enacted locally for beaches.

Smoking bans could be extended to vehicles and even homes, particularly in the presence of a child, a pregnant woman or a person suffering from serious health problems.[1]. As a proven factor of distraction, responsible for 30% of fatal accidents in Spain, smoking has already been identified as a dangerous practice while driving.[2].

The plan's other objectives are to reduce youth smoking, raise public awareness of the dangers of tobacco, and strengthen enforcement of anti-smoking measures. The plan also plans to significantly increase tobacco prices through tax increases in order to reduce smoking prevalence and limit price gaps with other European countries. It is also expected to propose aligning legislation on new nicotine products (e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches) with that of tobacco products, in terms of sales, consumption, advertising, and promotion. E-liquids and nicotine-free e-cigarettes would also be affected.

The previous tobacco plan, scuttled in favor of tobacco producers

The previous comprehensive tobacco plan, planned for the period 2021-2025, was delayed and then canceled by the then Minister of Health, Carolina Darias. In this position between 2021 and 2023, she also targeted the municipality of the Canary Islands' main city, where she was elected. According to the Tobacco Industry Interference Index in the European region[3], pressure was reportedly put on the minister to abandon this plan to combat tobacco if she wanted to become head of this municipality.

Although the Canary Islands government has announced an increase in taxation on tobacco products in 2024[4], he continues to maintain close relations with tobacco manufacturers, for example by organizing visits to tobacco factories. The islands of this archipelago, like the autonomous community of Extremadura, two regions with high tobacco production, have a specific tax on tobacco products making them cheaper than in the rest of Spain. This situation illustrates more generally the delay of the Spanish executive in tackling the tobacco issue since 2010.

Keywords: Spain, comprehensive tobacco prevention and control plan, Monica Garcia, Carolina Darias

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[1] Health Ministry in talks to ban smoking in cars, published March 13, 2024, accessed March 18, 2024.

[2] Ensor J, Spain considers banning smoking in the car, EuroWeekly, published March 13, 2024, accessed March 18, 2024.

[3] Olefir L, Pelella S, Tao A, Europe Regional Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2023, SFP/CEO/GCTC, October 2023.

[4] Canary Islands: Revised Tobacco Tax Law in 2024, 2Firsts, published on 1^er December 2023, accessed March 18, 2024.