Spain is the first country in Europe to ban smoking on all of its beaches after the government passed a new law following a public petition.
Anyone caught lighting up on the beach will be hit with a 2000 dollar fine. Smoking is not allowed on popular tourist beaches in Barcelona and the Canary Islands.
The country has 3000 miles of coastline and it is polluted. A petition of 283,000 names demanding action on beach pollution was handed to the Spanish government. The European Environment Agency found cigarette butt among the most common items on Europe's beaches. Sardinia in Italy and some areas in southern France have already banned smoking on their beaches.
Smoking is not allowed on the beaches of Los Cristianos in the Canary Islands.
In 2020 Spain banned smoking in outdoor public spaces where people can't maintain a social distance of at least six feet.
Spain's Prime Minister has set a goal to be carbon neutral by the year 2050.
