Smokers can be fined for lighting up from Sunday

LIGHTING up a cigarette in the work place, restaurants, shopping centres, banks, sports centres and other enclosed areas could lead to a fine from Sunday, as part of a new Law approved by the Balearic Parliament in April. The Balearic Islands will be the first Spanish region to adopt these legal measures against smoking, said the Minister for Health and Consumer Affairs, Aina Castillo yesterday. In the cases where people do not obey the law, then economical fines will be imposed, added Aina Castillo.
As from Sunday all the following places will be free from tobacco smoke; restaurants and all places where food is handled or sold, schools and health centres, Government buildings, theatres, cinemas, bus stations, airports, lifts, libraries, museums and cultural centres or similar. The only exceptions will be where there are specific smoking zones or out of doors.
However, in restaurants and leisure areas where food is handled, it is up to the owner to decide if a ‘smokers' area' is set up.
Clubs and bars where food is not served are not affected by the new law.