By Euro Weekly News Media • Published: 11 Feb 2015 • 11:30
INSPECTORS of the three health districts in Almeria have opened 234 penalty cases during 2014 for breach of the smoking ban.
The smoking fines vary from individual fines for people smoking in prohibited areas, such as schools and health centres, to business owners who have not imposed the ban on their premises.
Inspections are carried out in response to direct complaints and at random by inspectors who not only check for smoking ban breaches but also for any other issues related to public health. Of the 234 cases, 80 were resolved positively and the Department of Health has raised €34,373 via fines.
Experts and scientific societies estimate that it costs the Spanish public and private health systems €15 million per year in treating diseases caused by smoking.
The prevalence of smoking in Almeria remains high with 42.9 per cent of men and 30.5 per cent of women smoking despite the anti-smoking legislation.
Share this story
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don't already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don’t already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Download our media pack in either English or Spanish.