According to a recent report by Spanish media outlet Infobae, Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia will face a series of challenges in 2024, with two key issues attracting significant attention.
First and foremost, she needs to promote the implementation of the Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Plan for 2021-2025, which focuses on expanding smoke-free areas, implementing plain packaging, and regulating e-cigarettes. Secondly, she aims to enhance the quality of public health services by reducing medical waiting lists.
The draft plan for the Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Program 2021-2025 was formulated by the Ministry of Health, led by former Health Minister Salvador Ira, in 2021. It includes regulations on tobacco use in specific areas such as outdoor terraces, standardizing e-cigarettes, implementing plain packaging, and increasing tobacco taxes. However, over the past two years, these measures outlined in the plan have yet to be implemented.
In 2010, Spain implemented a series of smoking restrictions through Law 42/2010. In 2017, Spain further regulated tobacco products by issuing Decree 579/2017, which banned the manufacturing and sale of tobacco products with mint or flavored additives. Since then, Spain has not implemented any tobacco control measures for five years.
