Spanish health authorities assure that smoking zones will remain…

The Spanish health councillor, Marina Geli, assured yesterday that there are no intentions to further restrict the tobacco law, and that from next Friday will oblige for good all owners of bars and restaurants to isolate smoking zones of premises that are over 100 square meters. Thus she noted that it is “no excuse” not to make the separations on the possible future change of the law, nor the lack of information, because the “sector knows what is has to do”. Geli advised that her intentions are to ensure that the “law is complied with”.

(Photo: The Qu Qu Restaurant, on Paseo Gràcia in Barcelona, with an isolated smoking zone, yesterday. Photo: MAITE CRUZ)

The councillor also reminded that the intention of the new law is not to “go against the smokers, but more to protect the non-smokers, especially the employees which have to spend many hours in the smoke”. 

MORE INSPECTIONS

The director of Public Health, Antoni Plasència, announced that there will be more inspections to ensure that the new law is complied with and that allowing to smoke in places where it is prohibited will suppose fines up to 10.000 euros.

Mr. Plasencia reminded that, if one doesn’t want to convert the premises into only non-smokers, that separations must be made with physical separations and not just with ventilation. The director of Public Health precises that the only tolerance which the authorities will accept, is in the access door to the smoking area which can be an air curtain. The air filters should ensure that the level of nicotine in the air in the whole premises doesn’t go above 0,7 micrograms per cubic meter.

In the case of music bars and nightclubs, the authority advised that those that admit a public under 18 will not be allowed to have smoking areas.

Source: News published on page 17 of the edition 29/8/2006 of El Periódico - print edition.