Andalucia’s network of smoke-free beaches and swimming pools expands

Andalucia’s network of smoke-free spaces has expanded to 52 beaches and 67 participating swimming pools.

As reported by the Junta de Andalucia, Jesus Aguirre, the Minister of Health and Families, this Friday, July 22, delivered their accreditations to the 15 smoke-free beaches and 8 swimming pools in the province of Malaga that have joined the ‘Beaches and Swimming Pools Without Smoke’ campaign.

In total, Andalusia has 52 beaches incorporated into this network, most of them located in Cadiz (24), followed by Malaga (15), Almeria (7), Huelva (4), Granada (1) and Cordoba with one inland. In the case of municipal swimming pools, 67 facilities are included.Most of them in the province of Jaen (14), followed by Sevilla (12), Huelva (10), Cadiz (8), Cordoba (6), Malaga (8), Granada (5), and Almeria (4).

This initiative of the Andalucian Network of Health Services and Smoke-Free Spaces, is promoted by the General Directorate of Public Health and Pharmaceutical Management of the Ministry of Health and Families. It seeks to raise awareness of the negative consequences of this habit on the beaches of the autonomous community.

As the councillor pointed out, “This project aims to promote healthy habits to improve health and quality of life, increase environmental quality, reduce pollution, and improve the image of our coasts”.

Any Andalucian town hall in whose demarcation there is a beach or pool area can join this project. A request can be made electronically. In this way, those who wish to participate go through an evaluation and accreditation process with four levels: member, bronze, silver, and gold.

Each council assumes the commitment to implement in the participating beaches the policies that it determines to keep them free of tobacco smoke. It must ensure adequate signage is positioned and the provision of information to users for the maintenance of the space free of smoke.

Information must be provided about the benefits of avoiding tobacco smoke and about effective methods of smoking cessation through health devices. It should be noted that with the entry into force of Law 7/2022, of April 8, on waste and contaminated soil for a circular economy, municipalities may also regulate the limitation of smoking on beaches through their own municipal ordinances.

Aguirre celebrated: “The great acceptance that this initiative has in our autonomous community, that it seeks to put an end to this unhealthy habit that kills 10,000 people a year in Andalucia”.

At the same time, he encouraged the rest of the coastal municipalities of the entire Andalucian coast to continue adding smoke-free spaces, even those municipalities that have inland beaches. “The Ministry of Health and Families works intensely on the intervention, control, and awareness of tobacco through specific actions reflected in the Comprehensive Smoking Plan of Andalusia (PITA)”, Aguirre added.

The full list of Smoke-Free Beaches and Pools in Andalucia can be found on the portal of the Ministry of Health and Families: https://juntadeandalucia.es/organismos/saludyfamilias/areas/salud-vida/adulta/paginas/playas-piscinas-sin-humo.html

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