Overview

• The Ministry of Health is considering rules to ban e-cigarette flavorings and apply the same public-venue restrictions to vaping as to conventional tobacco
• A semFYC survey found 11.1% of 14- to 18-year-olds vape, nearly double last year’s rate, and 93% of vapers also smoke traditional cigarettes
• Three quarters of Spaniards back extending smoke-free zones to bar terraces, bus stops and school surroundings, while 74.6% support higher taxes on tobacco and vaping products
• Medical experts warn that vaping poses risks of lung damage and nicotine addiction and may serve as a gateway to smoking, contributing to about 50,000 annual tobacco-related deaths in Spain
• Tobacco companies and vaping groups argue that a flavor ban could drive users back to cigarettes, cost up to €300 million in lost value added and jeopardize thousands of jobs according to an Afi report