EU bans sales of menthol & flavoured cigarettes/rolling tobacco from today across Spain from Costa Blanca to Costa del Sol

Spain’s tobacco stands are banned from selling menthol and flavoured cigarettes or rolling tobacco from today, thanks to new rules dictated by the European Commission.

ACCORDING to Spain’s Tobacco Board, flavoured/menthol cigarettes and rolling tobacco account for around 3 per cent of all tobacco sales in Spain, although in the Canary Islands this figure is much higher – at around 9 per cent, and 10 per cent in Ronda.

The European Commission decided to introduce the ban back in 2016 to deter young people from smoking products, which they mistakenly think are less harmful because of an associated flavour, other than tobacco. The ban finally comes into force today.

Those who enjoy flavoured cigarettes could choose to smoke menthol-flavoured vapes instead, which are still available. The new rules will not affect tobacco used for water pipes (also known as shisha, hooka or cachimba), or electronic cigarettes.

Some tobacco stands in Spain and across Europe petitioned the EU for a delay to the ban being introduced because of Covid-19, so they could sell any surplus supplies beforehand, but Brussels denied the request. So from today selling these banned products is officially illegal.