Spain Introduces Tough New Smoking Ban January 02, 2011

Spain has introduced one of Europe's toughest smoking bans that even prohibits lighting up in open spaces like children's playgrounds and outside hospitals.

Fines for breaking the ban, which took effect at midnight on January 2, range from a modest £25 (30 euros) to £513,800 (600,000 euros).
Aside from playgrounds and access points to schools and hospitals, smoking is also banned in bars, restaurants, discotheques, casinos and airports. But hotels are allowed to reserve 30% of their rooms for smokers.
Spain's Health Minister Leire Pajin previously said: "We should remember that more than 70% of Spain's population are non-smokers.
"So it is logical to think they will be more comfortable in bars when there is no tobacco smoke in them."

Fears are mounting that the ban at bars will cost jobs

The Spanish Federation of Hostelry estimates the ban could lead to the loss of up to 350,000 jobs, as many Spaniards will stay at home rather than go without a cigarette at bars.
At the same time the government, struggling to pay off a huge deficit during an economic slowdown, seems to be hoping the ban will not stop too many Spaniards from smoking.
Last month, among a battery of austerity measures, it announced a rise in tobacco tax which it hopes will bring in an extra £668m (780 million euros) a year.
Until now, bar owners could decide whether to allow smoking, depending on the size of their premises, while larger bars and restaurants had to have a designated smoking area.
Similar legislation in Ireland has had a limited economic effect.
By 2012, all of the EU's 27 member states should have banned smoking in enclosed zones.