Although the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Health, Javier Padilla, has pointed out that the specific specification of which areas are smoke-free will have to be included in the legislative reform, he has stated that the new smoke-free areas that will be put on the table are "already known", referring to the possible ban on smoking on bar terraces.
The president of Mallorca CAEB Restoration has ensured that declaring smoke-free zones outside the premises of bars and restaurants will be a very hard blow to business, beacuse it will turn many customers away.
He argued that it makes no sense for a person to have to get up from a table to smoke next to it. "It is an unnecessary nuisance that will cause us very significant financial losses”.
Robledo also pointed out that this measure will have a major impact on tourism, as many people will opt for other competing destinations where smoking is permitted.
"Only Sweden bans smoking on terraces," he said. "In an economy based on services, such as the Balearics, it is incomprehensible to adopt this measure," he said.
José Luis Yzuel, president of the Spanish Hotel and Catering Association, feels the same.
In his opinion, this measure is not necessary because there is currently no problem with smoking on terraces.
"In the Ministry for Health there are real anti-smoking Talibans" and "anti-everything", he said. "Those in charge are the ultimate Taliban against absolutely everything, they want to tell us how we have to live and how we have to die. With all due respect, let me live the way I want as long as it doesn't bother you", he said.
And added that it should be up to the restaurateurs themselves to decide whether the terraces of their bars and restaurants should be declared smoke-free or not.
4 comments
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Its hard to ban smoking when the people who are enforcing the laws are smokers.
Bonkers , we absolutely don’t use restaurants that allow smoking. Why should we have to put up with this disgusting habit.can’t wait until it’s banned in any public space.
That's the problem - they smoke right next to the terrace / table defeating the point of moving away. Between smokers and buskers, sitting outside becoming less and less attractive.
There's nothing worse than some selfish **** smoking next to you when you're eating. Is it too much for them to stand up and walk two metres away. Luckily the restaurant association don't make the rules. All they care about is getting more money for themselves.