A new proposal for a tobacco law presented by the Government, which entered parliament on May 26, provides for a ban on smoking on sea, river and lake beaches (lakes), by determination of the management, administration or concession holder.

“We are out here in the open air. I think this is more or less the situation that happened with the terraces of cafes. There was a bit of a shock among the population, but people ended up joining in”, says Tiago Duro, who owns the Minha Praia concession in Quarteira.

“Look at the case of other countries which, with these bans, ended up lowering the smoking rate, right? I think it works”, underlines Tiago Duro.

Christofe Pontes is the concessionaire at Praia Alegre and he also agrees that the decision to forbid customers to smoke should rest with him.

“I think the worst thing about people smoking in the concession area is not smoking. The problem here is the cigarette butts in the sand”.

Christofe Pontes thinks that smokers are a minority in the space allocated to him and considers the issue should be treated as in the case of restaurants, where smokers should not disturb non-smokers.

According to the proposed law, smoking will also be prohibited in certain areas such as public swimming pools and water parks, as the government considers these areas to be entertaionment areas frequented by children.

With regard to access to tobacco, the ban on selling tobacco will be extended to sports venues, swimming pools and water parks, concert halls and venues, amusement venues, bingo halls, casinos and game rooms and other types of venues intended for shows and music festivals, as well as home delivery or street vending.

The sale of tobacco through vending machines is now prohibited in places located less than 300 meters from establishments for people under 18 years of age.

Contrary to what was initially announced by the Government, the diploma handed over to parliament no longer provides for a ban on the sale of tobacco at petrol stations, a change that the Minister of Health, Manuel Pizarro, justified with the lack of alternatives for purchase in many locations.