It appears that the Minister of Health, Trinidad Jimenez, is going for a total smoking ban in bars, restaurants and entertainment venues this year (2010).
"The total ban on smoking in public places, in Spain will cost 100,000 jobs closure 35,000 premises
Farràs considered that the measures, announced by the Minister of Health, Trinidad Jimenez, to toughen the anti-smoking law and to reduce the number of smokers, is based on figures that are "not objective" and are "uncorroborated".
The total ban on smoking in public places, in Spain will cost 100,000 jobs, and the closure of 35,000 premises.
A total ban on smoking in bars, restaurants and entertainment venues in 2010 will cause the closure of between 35,000 and 40,000 premises, and the loss of 100,000 jobs, according to the Vice Chairman of the Spanish Federation of Hotels and Restaurants, Gaietà Farràs.
Farràs considered that the measures, announced by the Minister of Health, Trinidad Jimenez, to toughen the anti-smoking law and to reduce the number of smokers, is based on figures that are "not objective" and are "uncorroborated". According to vice president of the hoteliers, the tobacco ban in public places will penalize customers and 70,000 premises as had taken place four years ago when it passed the law "which requires separate smoke zones, a investment amounted amounting to 1.500 million. Farràs considers the total ban is "unnecessary" because the current law "has yet to develop" in many parts of the Spanish geography and he commented that monitoring is very different in the regions depending if it is a rural or urban.
One of the augments, regarding the implementation, is that the anti-smoking measure has led to a fall in turnover of up to 40% in some bars etc. According to the Regional Ministry of Health of the Government, since the entry into force of the law in 2006, 40,667 inspections have been conducted, of which 5630 had ignored the new legislation. In total, 506 cases have been opened, of which 335 have led to a penalty, usually around 2,000 euros.
In Spain, since 2006 - 2008 the sale of packs of tobacco has been reduced by 40 million, according to the latest available, around 850 million units. The percentage of those over 15 who smoke has dropped from 32% to 28%."
Without getting into the pros and cons of smoking, if possible, has anyone heard anything about this and when it is likely to happen?
