According to a report by EuroWeekly News, on December 26, 2023, the municipal government of Palma, Spain announced its participation in the RespiroLibre movement, advocated for by the Spanish Cancer Association (AECC) and the Mallorca Recovery Association (CAEB).
Palma, a city in Spain, has become the first to join an innovative movement that aims to encourage voluntary smoking bans in outdoor areas of bars and restaurants.
Recently, the mayor of Palma, Jaime Martinez Llabres, held a meeting with Jose Reyes, the chairman of the AECC in the Balearic Islands, and Alfonso Robledo, the president of the Mallorca Restoration Association (CAEB).
During the meeting, the mayor proposed that businesses participating in this initiative would receive a 5% discount on the tolls for using public roads. Dr. Reyes also emphasized the potential impact of this campaign, stating that if tobacco consumption decreases, the total number of cancer cases diagnosed in Spain each year could potentially decrease by 30%.
The AECC (Spanish Cancer Association) and the Balearic Islands Restaurant Alliance have signed an agreement that allows participating businesses to designate their outdoor dining areas as smoke-free zones.