The Catalan High Court has partially annulled Barcelona's beach smoking ban, specifically lifting restrictions on vaping and e-cigarette use. The ruling responds to an appeal filed by the Former Smokers Association against the local legislation, which has prohibited smoking on all city beaches since July 2022.
In its decision, the court differentiated between traditional cigarettes and vaping devices. Magistrates concluded that the Barcelona city council lacks the specific authority to regulate vaping products in beach areas. Consequently, the ban on using vapes or e-cigarettes on the sand and near the sea is no longer in effect.
However, the court upheld the ban on smoking conventional cigarettes. Barcelona city council officials confirmed that, despite the ruling on vapes, the existing prohibition against smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes on the beaches remains firmly in place and will not be modified.
The original ban followed a successful pilot test in 2021 and significantly reduced smoking rates on the beaches. While vaping is now permitted on the sand, smoking traditional cigarettes is still only allowed away from the beach area or at designated beach bars (chiringuitos).
- News source: Judge annuls ban on vapes on Barcelona beaches
