Lighting a cigarette on the beach is a widespread practice. However, in recent years, more and more sandy beaches in the province of Alicante have joined the “Smoke-Free Beaches” network promoted by the Generalitat. This initiative recommends refraining from smoking on beaches, although so far it is only a non-binding recommendation that does not entail direct consequences. Two municipalities, Finestrat and Calp, have, however, taken measures to sanction smoking.
The idea of making beaches smoke-free and combating the problem of cigarette butts in the sand has been a topic of discussion in many municipalities for some time. The recommendations are being extended to the municipalities, although everyone is still working on raising awareness. In other words, smoking while sunbathing is “forbidden,” but it is not punishable by fines, even though it may attract the attention of those holding a cigarette.
The situation is different in Finestrat and Calp. Finestrat was a pioneer in introducing sanctions into the Public Coexistence Regulations and imposing fines for smoking on the beach. This regulation came into force in July 2020, during the height of the pandemic. The smoking ban on La Cala beach had been imposed months earlier, but it only took effect in the summer. According to municipal sources, smoke and cigarette butts have almost disappeared from this beach. Those who smoke nevertheless face fines of up to €750. The municipality has also joined the Valencian Community’s network of smoke-free beaches.
Calp followed suit and will implement similar measures on its beaches this summer. In 2024, the municipality joined the Ministry of Health’s network of smoke-free beaches, with the aim of creating smoke-free zones on the beaches of Arenal-Bol, La Fossa, and Cantal Roig. But that’s not all: Within a year, Calp also amended its municipal ordinance on the use and management of the coast to introduce a smoking ban and the corresponding penalties.
These measures will reduce tobacco consumption along the entire coast. The exception, however, will be the larger beaches, where two designated areas will be created: La Fossa and Arenal-Bol. These areas are located near Plaza Mediterrani in La Fossa and Plaza Colón in Arenal-Bol. Municipal sources emphasize the importance of “promoting the health of beachgoers and avoiding tobacco consumption, which can cause numerous diseases, even in passive smokers.”
In the regional network, but without penalties
According to a survey of general practitioners, 65.6% of respondents consider a smoking ban on beaches a priority. This study was conducted by the Smoking Group of the Valencian Society of Family and Community Medicine (SoVaMFiC) as part of its 25th Smoke-Free Week. Many municipalities have imposed tobacco restrictions along their coasts and issued recommendations prohibiting smoking on beaches, but without sanctions—at least for now.
One example is l’Alfàs del Pi, which is banning smoking on its Racó de l’Albir beach this summer. The process to amend the ordinance is already underway, and it may be possible to impose sanctions in the future, although the ban is currently pending.
There are other municipalities in the province that prohibit smoking on their beaches or have posted signs indicating that they are smoke-free zones. But how will this be enforced without an ordinance? Sources consulted by this newspaper report that it would be “very difficult.” The reason: A large local police unit would have to be set up to monitor the beaches, which is not possible with the resources available to the municipalities. However, it is recommended that people smoking on a restricted beach be informed that this is not permitted, in order to raise awareness of this issue.
The list of towns in the regional network of smoke-free beaches is more extensive in the northern part of the province than in the southern municipalities. In La Marina Alta, Dénia, Marieta Cassiana, and Marge Roig have identified areas where smoking is not permitted. In Xàbia, tobacco consumption has been banned on all beaches, again without penalties. According to the 2024 Health Network, Cala del Moraig in Poble Nou de Benitatxell is also included. Calp is the only municipality in the region that imposes fines for smoking on the sand.
In the Marina Baixa, La Vila Joiosa will ban smoking on its 13 beaches this summer, joining the regional network. The beaches of Bol Nou, Carritxal, Centro, Estudiantes, L’Esparrelló, La Caleta, Paradís, Puntes del Moro, Racó del Conill, Tio Roig, Torres, Varadero, and Xarco will fly the smoke-free beach flag, with the goal of reducing smoking on these beaches, but without penalties.
Benidorm has banned smoking in the accessible areas of Levante and Poniente beaches following a collaboration agreement between the City Council and the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) to create “smoke-free spaces.” Posters have been posted promoting this healthy cancer prevention initiative. Councilor for Beaches Mónica Gómez clarified that this is a recommendation that should be respected by all users.
In Altea, Councilor for Beaches, Aurora Serrat, told this newspaper that the city council has joined the Consell’s network of smoke-free beaches, specifically for the new El Bol beach in the city. “We are preparing the signs prohibiting smoking to start the season in June,” she said. This summer, a trial will be conducted at this beach, which may be expanded to include others in the future, although there are currently no plans to amend the regulations to penalize smokers.
The 17 beaches of El Campello have been part of the network promoted by the Health Authority for years. The municipality has been a pioneer in this initiative and leads the Valencian Community with the largest number of beaches in this healthy network, which encompasses a total of 23 kilometers of smoke-free coastline.
Alicante without restrictions
The city of Alicante currently has no smoking ban on any of its beaches. However, several campaigns have been carried out, particularly to raise awareness about pollution caused by cigarette butts in the sand. The “Beaches Without Cigarette Butts” campaign aims to draw attention to the problems associated with smoking in public and natural spaces. Biodegradable ashtrays have also been provided. However, there is currently no general ban.
Although Mayor Luis Barcala has occasionally discussed this possibility, a survey conducted at City Hall shows that 62.08% of Alicante residents support a smoking ban on the beach to prevent pollution from cigarette butts in the sand. However, the new ordinance was ultimately passed without this option.
In other municipalities in the province, some recommend not smoking on their beaches. For example, in 2020, the Elche City Council first posted posters on beaches like Carabassí as part of the Generalitat Valenciana campaign. However, as in most municipalities, there are no sanctions. In Santa Pola, there are no smoking bans on the beaches at all. In Torrevieja, Guardamar del Segura, Pilar de la Horadada, and Orihuela Costa, smoking is also not prohibited by the ordinances, although recommendations are made to keep beaches smoke-free and raise awareness of the dangers of tobacco consumption. Ashtrays have also been distributed to minimize beach pollution. Last year, for example, Torrevieja was awarded the Smoke-Free Beaches flag for the first time in Cala Cabo Cervera, located on the northern coast between La Mata beach and the rocky cliffs of the coves.
Yes, there are penalties for littering the beach.
Although most municipalities do not have specific ordinances prohibiting smoking on the beach, littering cigarette butts can be punished. In many places, beach or cleanup ordinances impose fines for leaving waste on the sand.
This is the case in La Vila Joiosa, where leaving tobacco behind is punishable by the civic coexistence regulations, as part of the general prohibition against leaving any type of garbage or waste. A similar situation applies in Benidorm with the beach regulations and in other municipalities such as Alicante, where fines for discarding cans, chewing gum, or cigarette butts in the sand can reach up to €210.
Leaving cigarette butts on the beach is harmful to the environment and poses a risk to marine wildlife: a single cigarette butt contaminates up to 100 liters of water. On the beaches of the municipality of Alicante alone, approximately 2,500 cigarette butts are collected daily during cleaning. Cigarette butts account for one-third of the waste accumulated on beaches (30.6%, according to a study by the Autonomous University of Barcelona).
They are made of cellulose acetate, a thermoplastic that takes 5 to 10 years to decompose, and contain toxic substances such as cadmium, arsenic, nickel, tar and toluene, whose harmful.
The negative effects can last even longer.
In Spain, an estimated 5 billion cigarette butts end up on beaches, representing 15% of cigarettes consumed. Worldwide, the figure is approximately 4.5 trillion cigarette butts, which ultimately pollute the environment.
