Love it or loathe it, one of the biggest changes to life in Ibiza is edging ever closer.
Spain has approved draft legislation that will ban smoking and vaping on beaches, around public swimming pools, on bar and restaurant terraces, at outdoor events, sports facilities and even within 15 metres of schools, hospitals and many public buildings.
It isn’t law just yet. Parliament still has to sign it off but make no mistake, this train has already left the station.
If approved, the days of lighting up on the sands of Cala Conta, beside your hotel pool or over a beer watching the sunset could soon become a thing of the past and before anyone says, “I’ll just vape instead,” think again. Vapes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches and shisha all fall under the same proposed restrictions.
This won’t just affect residents. Millions of tourists come to Ibiza every year expecting to spend their holiday outdoors, on beaches, around pools and on terraces and that’s exactly where the new rules are aimed.
Some Balearic beaches already have smoke-free policies, but they’re inconsistent and enforcement is hit and miss. A national law changes everything. Suddenly the rules become the same whether you’re in Ibiza, Madrid or Málaga.
Hotels will have decisions to make. Beach clubs will have decisions to make. Bars and restaurants will have decisions to make and yes, there will undoubtedly be people caught out.
The debate starts now
Predictably, the hospitality industry isn’t thrilled. Some fear it could drive customers away, while smokers argue the Government is once again interfering in personal choice.
Others see it very differently. Cigarette ends remain one of the most common forms of litter found on beaches, while passive smoking remains a genuine public health concern in busy outdoor spaces.
Personally, I have absolutely no problem with this direction of travel – both of my parents died from smoking-related illnesses so perhaps I have a different perspective from some. If this legislation encourages even a handful of people to quit or stops the next generation from taking up the habit, then that can only be a good thing.
The bottom line is that nothing changes today but don’t get too comfortable if your holiday routine includes a cigarette by the pool or on the beach as by this time next year smoking will most likely be stubbed out for good in these places and I don’t think too many people will miss the smell of cigarette smoke drifting across some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
MAN IN SAN AN by Martin Makepeace 