Majority of Alicante Residents Support Smoking Ban in Public Spaces

The Government's announcement to expand smoke-free areas risks polarising opinions between smokers and non-smokers. However, there is more consensus than one might expect, according to a survey conducted by the Valencian Society of Family and Community Medicine (SoVaMFIC).

The survey results reveal that the majority of respondents would ban smoking to protect everyone's health around educational centres (86.7%), at bus stops (83.8%), in open public spaces (77.6%), and on beaches (74%). Notably, more than half of the respondents also believe it should be banned in private cars, specifically 53.9% of Valencian respondents.

A large majority of Valencian respondents, 82.1%, would not allow smoking on bar and restaurant terraces. Environmental awareness is also evident among Valencian respondents, as 96.8% believe that tobacco use or its waste impacts the environment.

Regarding new forms of nicotine consumption, 93.2% of respondents consider electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and water pipes harmful to health.

In Spain, the price of tobacco is among the lowest compared to other European Union countries. The average cost of a pack of cigarettes is 4.60 euros, while in Ireland, for example, it reaches up to 12.81 euros.

SoVaMFIC states that price increases and the activation of complementary measures "have clearly led to a decrease in tobacco consumption," and it is estimated that raising tobacco prices would reduce smoking habits by between 10% and 15%.

Thus, the study shows that 86.4% of Valencian respondents would support increasing the price of tobacco, electronic cigarettes, rolling tobacco, and heated tobacco.