The regional government is drafting a new addictions law that would treat vaping devices in the same way as tobacco products and prohibit the sale of energy drinks to under-18s. Although the bill is still at an early stage, it is intended to curb the growing use of these products among children and teenagers, a trend that has increased noticeably in recent years.
According to the Minister for Families, Social Welfare and Dependency Care, Sandra Fernández, the aim is to intervene before such habits become firmly established. She warned that vaping and energy drinks are becoming increasingly visible and socially accepted, despite posing clear health risks. “They are not harmless,” she stressed, underlining the need for early preventive action.
The proposal was announced during the launch of a new addiction-prevention campaign aimed at children and adolescents. Developed by the regional ministries of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Balearic Office for Children and Adolescents (OBIA), the campaign will be promoted through social media as well as educational and sports centres. OBIA director Esther Balaguer highlighted that childhood and adolescence are particularly vulnerable stages, where early exposure can have long-term consequences for wellbeing and development.
Health Minister Manuela García outlined the main lines of the future legislation, including plans to subject vapes to the same legal restrictions as tobacco and to ban energy drinks for minors. She warned that energy drinks can cause heart rhythm disorders, sleep and behavioural problems, and that mixing them with alcohol can mask intoxication while increasing health risks. García also pointed out that a single can may exceed the recommended daily intake of free sugars for children.
García added that vaping can be as harmful as, or even more harmful than, traditional cigarettes and is often the first step towards tobacco use among young people. She cited cases of young patients hospitalised with severe vaping-related pneumonia and the lung condition known as EVALI. While recent data show a decline in the regular use of tobacco, alcohol and cannabis among 14- to 18-year-olds in the Balearic Islands, the average age at which consumption begins has fallen to just over 14, according to the latest national survey.
Meanwhile, smokers across Spain are facing stricter rules as the government introduces new legislation banning smoking on bar and restaurant terraces. These outdoor areas had previously served as a loophole for smokers after indoor bans were introduced, but this change aims to expand smoke-free zones nationwide. The government has also raised the price of many popular cigarette brands by 25 cents per packet, with the new prices coming into effect this weekend, bringing the cost of popular makes to 6.25 euros.
The restrictions extend to public swimming pools, bus shelters, stations, playgrounds and university campuses, with a 15-metre no-smoking zone established around hospitals, schools and social centres. Outdoor concerts, shows and festivals will also now be smoke-free. Penalties are being tightened, with fines reaching up to €600,000 in serious cases. Businesses, including bars and restaurants, will be legally obliged to display signs informing customers of the ban, and failure to comply will result in penalties for the owners as well.