Spanish Health Minsiter searched for consensus on smoking laws

 

Trinidad Jiménez, the Spanish Minister for Health, appeared on TV programme 59 seconds on Wednesday and responded to concerns - that recent changes to the smoking laws could lead to closures - expressed by bar and restaurant owners throughout the Country.

Jiménez stated how she was looking for ‘maximum consensus' with regards to the reform of the law which is estimated to be introduced within the next 6 months, but also that there was still ‘a lot of smoke' in Spain despite the effects of the 2005 legislation. "We have launched the idea of making public spaces free of smoke, bit by bit", she said, but added that there was still nothing confirmed.

The Minster added that she is in talks with political parties about the reform of the law, and that when an agreement is reached, the reform will be brought into effect.

When asked about the criticisms from the hostelry sector she noted that in Italy where there was recent no smoking legislation the effect on the hostelry industry had been zero.