Spain’s controversial update to its anti-smoking law is one step closer after being approved by the Council of Ministers on Tuesday.

The legislation aims to ban the use of cigarettes, vapes and other heated tobacco products on restaurant and bar terraces, near schools, at bus stops and elsewhere.

The law will now be debated in Spain’s parliament and would mark the biggest shake-up of smoking rules since the 2010 anti-smoking law.

If passed, the ban will apply not only to traditional cigarettes but also to vapes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches, shishas and electronic cigarettes.

One of the biggest changes is the expansion of smoke-free areas.

Smoking and vaping would be prohibited on bar and restaurant terraces, beaches, public and hotel swimming pools, outdoor concerts and festivals, bus stops and transport shelters, railway platforms, sports and cultural venues, children’s playgrounds, school grounds and educational centres and work vehicles.

The law would also create a 15-metre smoke-free buffer zone around schools, universities, hospitals, sports centres, playgrounds, museums, libraries and other public facilities.

Another significant change would make it illegal for anyone under 18 to smoke, rather than simply banning the sale of tobacco to minors.

Parents whose children are caught smoking could face fines of up to €100.

Health Minister Monica Garcia said the reforms are designed to reflect the changing nature of smoking.

‘Sixteen years have passed and tobacco consumption has changed,’ she said, pointing to the rapid rise of vaping, nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products, particularly among young people.

The ministry estimates the new measures could save Spain’s healthcare system between €100million and €200million a year.

The legislation would also tighten rules on tobacco advertising and sponsorship, extending restrictions across television, the internet and vending machines.

It would also ban the sale of vaping products and electronic cigarettes in non-specialist shops, meaning they could no longer be sold in convenience stores, bazaars or vending machines.

The government stopped short of introducing plain cigarette packaging, saying the measure was delayed due to political disagreements over concerns it could encourage tobacco smuggling.

A proposed ban on disposable vapes has also been left out for now while Spain waits for approval from the EU, although ministers say they hope to add the measure during the bill’s passage through parliament.

The legislation also raises the minimum fine for minor tobacco offences from €60 to €200, while serious breaches would continue to carry penalties of up to €10,000.