smoking and vaping prohibited in company cars and fines of 200 euros

16 years later, the Anti-Tobacco Law is updated after years of rumors. It does so with substantial changes such as equating vapes with traditional cigarettes. And also with changes that affect mobility. Because smoking or vaping while driving will be prohibited… in some very specific cases.

Forbidden. This is what the Government has agreed that with the update of the Anti-Tobacco Law approved by the Council of Ministersfour big changes have been confirmed:

• Vapes and cigarettes are equated, so both products will be prohibited in the same spaces. Nicotine pouches are also equalized.
• Consumption by minors is prohibited (previously only sales to minors were prohibited).
• The consumption of vapes and cigarettes is prohibited in new spaces or those that did not have homogeneous national regulation, such as terracesplatforms or swimming pools, among others.

And the car? Indeed, smoking or vaping in the car will also be prohibited. Although only in those that are used in the professional environment. That is, they will be prohibited in taxis and vehicles with a VTC license but also in company shared cars.

The prohibition only affects when they provide a service for the transportation of passengers but will not be effective when the professional vehicle is always driven by the same person. That is, in a taxi or VTC you cannot smoke or vape. Nor in a vehicle for the transport of goods in which workers rotate, but there is no problem if the vehicle is for the exclusive use of a single person.

The fine? The fine for incurring any of the aforementioned infractions will be 200 euros. That is, in the case of a violation in the car it would be equivalent to a penalty for a serious offense.

Of course, we must keep in mind that we are talking about a sanction that is imposed by the Anti-Tobacco Law in very specific situations. Smoking in the car is not punished, smoking in some specific vehicles is punishable, so we should not have changes in the Traffic Law.

This means that we do not expect modifications in this last text that could lead to the deduction of points.

Tobacco and the car. The issue of smoking in the car has been a source of controversy for years. Last year 2022, the sanctions were updated for throwing a cigarette butt from the vehicle, raising the punishment to 500 euros. However, nothing expressly specifies that smoking while driving is prohibited.

For years there have been rumors of the possibility of completely prohibiting this activity or limiting it when there are minors inside. However, fines have been limited to those that can be imposed for not paying attention to the wheel or not being able to control the car at all times. Both assumptions are included in the articles 10.2 and 13.2 of the Traffic Law.

These are used as a basis for imposing light penalties of 80 euros. This can be applied to all types of cases due to the diffuse definition of the text. From drinking water or eating until operate the radio while we are underway.

Photo | 岁月如歌

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