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Most semi-enclosed terraces in Barcelona fail to comply with the anti-smoking law
Having a drink on a terrace in Barcelona doesn’t always mean breathing clean air. A study by the Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona has detected a high presence of tobacco smoke and ambient nicotine in these spaces, even on semi-enclosed terraces where smoking is already prohibited by current regulations.
The analysis was carried out on 180 terraces in the city through environmental measurements, direct observation, and interviews with 451 users. The data is clear: people were seen smoking on 93% of terraces, in one out of four there was use of electronic cigarettes, and in two out of three the smell of tobacco was noticeable.
Ambient nicotine was detected on 85% of the terraces analysed. In addition, levels were higher in neighbourhoods with lower socioeconomic status, a fact that adds an urban inequality angle to the problem. Not all areas breathe the same, not even when it comes to outdoor leisure.
Non-compliance is especially visible on semi-enclosed terraces. According to the study, 90% of these spaces allow smoking even though the law prohibits it when the terrace is covered or closed on several sides. In these cases, ventilation is worse and exposure can be closer to that of an indoor space than an open terrace.
Users’ perceptions are similar. 94% of those surveyed said they felt exposed to tobacco smoke on terraces, and 68% to aerosols from electronic cigarettes. More than half were in favour of banning smoking and vaping in these spaces.
The debate comes at a key moment. The Ministerio de Sanidad has been working for some time on reforming the Ley del Tabaco and on the Plan Integral de Prevención y Control del Tabaquismo 2024-2027, which aims to expand smoke-free spaces. The hospitality sector, on the other hand, fears that a total ban would affect sales and change the dynamics of terraces.
For those working waiting tables, the problem is less theoretical. A customer can get up and leave if the smoke bothers them; a waiter may spend the whole shift going in and out of a terrace surrounded by tobacco, vapes, cigarette butts, and aerosols. That repeated exposure is one of the strongest arguments for those calling for clearer regulation.
Barcelona lives much of its life on its terraces, and that’s precisely why the debate matters so much. It’s not just about whether someone can smoke with a coffee, but about who has the right to breathe smoke-free air in a shared space. The city has already debated noise, public space, and too many tables; now the question returns in another form: what kind of terraces does it want, and for whom.