10 January 2006

NAVARRE — A man who refused to stop smoking became the first person in Spain to be fined under the country's strict new anti-smoking law.

The 39-year-old was fined EUR 240 after he would not stub out his cigarette in the non-smoking area of a café.

Police asked him to move to a smoking area but when he refused he was arrested and charged with the offence of 'stubborn smoking'.

A court in Navarre, in north-west Spain, handed down the fine – the first under anti-smoking law which came into force on 1 January.   

The law bans smoking at work and bars and restaurants over 100 sqm must provide non-smoking areas and air-conditioning within eight months. 

All tobacco advertising has been banned, apart from in Formula 1 racing, strict controls on selling cigarettes to minors have been imposed and cigarettes cannot be sold in supermarkets. 

But many complain the law has made little difference as most   bars and restaurants are smaller than 1,076 sq ft and almost all still allow smoking to keep customers. 

Spaniards who hoped to be free of the smoking fumes now complain the law has not changed anything. 

Also supermarkets near the French border have flouted the law to sell cheaper Spanish cigarettes to French 'tobacco tourists' who come to stock up. They face fines of between EUR 30 -593,000.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news