Brits planning Spain holidays should take note of some strict new rules being proposed by the country's authorities.

The Spanish government has approved new legislation which includes a ban on smoking and vaping in a wide range of outdoor spaces, including beaches and bar terraces.

There has already been a country-wide ban on smoking and vaping indoors, while a number of holiday hotspots already have fines in place for people who smoke on its beaches. Although e-cigarettes are legal to use and purchase across Spain, many beaches enforce strict no-vaping rules under local public health policies.

In Barcelona, all city beaches have been smoke- and vape-free since 2022, while various beaches across the Balearic Islands - specifically in Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca - are marked as smoke-free, and that includes e-cigarettes.

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In Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, local councils have designated popular beaches as clean-air zones where vaping is banned, with on-the-spot fines for rule-breakers ranging from €30 to €2,000 (£26 to £1,730) depending on whether the culprit is a first-time offender.

Now those rules could get stricter as the Spanish government is introducing a bill to ban smoking on beaches, bar and restaurant terraces, bus stops and sports stadiums, reports Majorca Daily Bulletin. The rules would also see smoking banned in public swimming pools, stations and playgrounds, as well as events such as outdoor shows and festivals.

The rules won't just apply to cigarettes, but also to the likes of e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, herbal products, shisha pipes and devices used to heat tobacco.

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It's worth noting that the proposal has passed but isn't yet formally law, and there isn't a set date when the rules will come into force. However, Brits who are heading to Spain should check the latest travel advice for the country before they travel, as it's expected that the rules will come into play within the coming months.

The move comes after Spain's health ministry confirmed that tobacco claims the lives of around 140 people a day in the country, with approximately 30 per cent of cancer tumours directly linked to factors that are a result of tobacco use.

The legislation also includes a ban on advertising, sponsoring or promoting any of the products, as part of a wider effort to also deter younger generations from vaping and smoking.

Meanwhile, a citizens' association has called for the government to go one step further and introduce protections against secondhand smoke entering homes through windows and ventilation from neighbouring properties.

If you are travelling to Spain, you may also want to double check your passport before booking a holiday. Following Brexit, UK passport holders must have passports with a "date of issue" within 10 years of their arrival date AND the document must still be valid for at least three months beyond the planned departure date from the Schengen area.

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