Since the first ‘Smoke-Free beach’ was created in Spain in 2006, the figure has quickly grown to over half a thousand. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Office for Europe applauded Turkey. 525 ‘smoke-free beaches’ across Spain and takes our country as an example in the fight against smoking. Due to the pollution caused by cigarette butts, it is a problem not only for health but also for the environment.
“The benefits of bans on smoking on the beaches are diverse. They not only help reduce second-hand exposure to tobacco smoke, which causes more than 1.2 million premature deaths annually worldwide, but also help reduce second-hand exposure to tobacco smoke. they also reduce litter, prevent environmental damage caused by cigarette butts and improve services”, underlines the United Nations’ international health organization.
WHO emphasizes that this “strong campaign” “paves the way to ban smoking on beaches”. “The motivations are not just health, but also the environment. Long after a cigarette goes out, it continues to cause damage in the form of non-biodegradable butts. Millions of kilos are thrown away every year.“, they remember.
One in five adults and teens smoke
In Spain, where almost one in five adults and adolescents smoke (18% of adults in 2020 and 21% of 15-16 year olds in 2019), the health, economic and environmental impact of tobacco use is “significant”, According to WHO.
At the same time, They celebrate that Spain is “one of the few countries in the WHO’s European Region” to ban tobacco consumption in all closed public places.. WHO blames the organization Nofumadores.org for this success, fighting for the right to live in a tobacco and nicotine-free country.
In 2018, Nofumadores.org launched a petition calling for smoke-free beaches across Spain. Although the petition was shared only through the organization and social networks, 107,000 signatures were collected in two weeks.
“They congratulated us on the proposal and said that this campaign helps the Ministry when it comes to implementing such a measure. politicians need social support to change laws. The main message they gave us was: Make some noise. Help us help you,” commented Raquel Fernández Megina, head of the organization. In March 2022, the petition received more than 331,000 signatures and continues to grow.
17.5% of Spanish beaches are smoke-free
Although the first beach in Spain was declared smoke-free in 2006, only 91 (3%) beaches were smoke-free in 2018. However, the figure rose after campaigns by tobacco control advocates across Spain. 525 in 2021, or 17.5 percent. That number rises to 549 for the summer that is about to begin, according to data from Nofumadores.org updated to May 19.
Outdoor smoking bans are becoming more and more common all over the world. Recognizing the damage tobacco does to the natural world and to other people, bans on smoking on beaches are also gaining momentum in Italy, the United States and Australia.
“One of our goals is to increase the number of outdoor non-smoking zones.. The beaches were a good way to start because we knew we could count on the support of environmental movements that were starting to get pretty strong, especially among the young. We can count on the support of families who are tired of seeing their children play with cigarette butts they find on the beach,” said Raquel Fernández Megina.
Nofumadores.org also relies on the support of city councils and the tourism industry.: “Spain has already had many smoke-free beach initiatives promoted by municipalities, which also realized that smoke-free beaches will reduce cleaning costs. To all this we must add the fact that Spain has about 8,000 km of coastline. More than 3,000 beaches and non-tourism They have lives, so their beaches must be of high quality. We did not think we would find direct opposition to this measure from any person or organization, and it was not!”.
Cleaning costs
The expert insists that such measures are good for public health and are popular. “Societal demand for this kind of measure is very high, so Politicians need not be afraid to outdo them as they will always have broad popular support. In addition, the tobacco industry, which is primarily responsible for the contamination, should be liable to pay for the costs of its cleaning. The tobacco industry simply cannot avoid putting a pictogram on its packaging and holding the end consumer responsible for the contamination of its products.”
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