Hi,
the smoking ban has been in force for some in Ireland and Scotland and will soon be in place in England. Is there any smoking ban in Spain?
Cheers
Peter

Yes, been in force here for over a year now. Some places still allow it though, although all the shopping centres, airport, etc., you are unable to smoke unless there is a special place.

Buying cigarets is also limited, only tobaconists sell them.

There is a smoking ban in enclosed public places that has been in effect since Jan 2006 - I pull the leg of our local pharmacist ......he used to go out back for a ciggie where no-one could see him - now he has to go out to the front of the shop!

The way it affects bars & restaurants is quite complicated, and although you will see the signs up, typically the spanish will ignore them.

Yes, most of the bars I see around here seem to allow smoking and even have signs up saying so

I have yet to come across a bar in our area where the smoking ban is being upheld!!
It seems that all that's needed is a notice saying "we allow smoking here", and it's all OK!

When we go and see the Mayoress I have to laugh......................
On her desk is a notice about the law banning smoking; and she lights up at least twice in the space of a 15 minute chat!!!

It's always a real relief to get out in the fresh air again (and I usually have to stick my clothes on the washing line to get rid of the smell!)

I quit smoking 17 days ago and then I saw how cheap they were out here in Spain. Talk about temptation. Still going tho, sucking my plastic nicorette stick things, getting some funny looks

keep it up, there's nothing a girl hates more than kissing a bloke with smelly tobacco breath

Has not the ban got something to do with the amount of seating it has, I think the small it is then they can permit something, not sure on exact figures, OH would now but he's having his siesta..........

Has not the ban got something to do with the amount of seating it has, I think the smaller it is then they can permit smoking, not sure on exact figures, OH would know but he's having his siesta..........

I should open up a bar then with NO SMOKING ALLOWED EVER. I could do well.

If you do let me know where it is.

If a bar is above a certain square meterage it can have a separate no smoking area but if it is less the owner has to decide whether it is going to be smoking on non-smoking and display a notice to that effect.

I was looking for a no smoking restaurant in Málaga last week but there was not a single one to be found.

Smoking UGH - it gets on my chest and I have the most terrible coughing fits so I have to steer clear of smoking areas. I've never smoked in my life and it annoys me to think that I am subjected to scondary smoke whenever I go into a bar. A couple of years ago at Alicante airport I couldn't get away from smokers whilst waiting to collect our luggage, despite numerous 'no smoking' signs, fortunately when we were over in January people most were paying attention to the signs and I only saw two people smoking.

Working in the trade what we understand is the law now states that a public room over 100 sq, metres must have a separate area in which you are allowed to smoke. Anything smaller smoking is allowed. However if the room has to have a separate area then that area is to be fully ventilated, with forced ventilation. No person must walk into the smoking area to access things like toilets or other public rooms. Also no minors are allowed into the smoking area. We have heard that the Andalusian Government has decided to go their own way on interpreting the rules and allow only partial height walls separating the smoking/non-smoking areas. But we have yet to see proof of this.
Here in Galicia they seem to allow smoking in any establishment until they are inspected by the Xunta (Junta to the rest of you!).
The establishment must have signs at the entrance as to whether it is smoking/non-smoking business.
Hope that clear things up a bit.

So, if you own the bar of any size and want to have "NO SMOKING" are you allowed to do that?

If you wanted to ban smoking you were allowed to do that before the so called smoking ban…maybe restrictive smoking practices would be better term to use.