Accessible Beaches in Benidorm are transformed into 'smoke-free spaces'

As a result of the collaboration agreement signed between Benidorm City Council and the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), the Accessible Beaches areas of Levante and Poniente have been transformed into 'smoke-free spaces', as announced today by the Councilor for Beaches, Monica Gomez.

The councillor recalled that in Spain smoking is the cause of death of "around 60,000 people." It is, therefore, the “responsibility” of the public administration “to ensure the well-being and health of citizens.”

The action aims to "create an environment free of harmful tobacco smoke" by warning of the danger that exposure to it poses for smokers, "and also for passive smokers."

The Accessible beach areas of Benidorm have the necessary infrastructure and adapted services so that people with functional diversity can enjoy the sea and sand without barriers. They promote equality and social inclusion. Now they also announce that they are 'smoke-free spaces'.

To this end, the City Council has published some posters that advertise it and indicate that it is a “healthy initiative to prevent cancer.” Likewise, it encourages citizens who support this type of initiative to share experiences on their social networks using the hashtag #RespiroLibre and the AECC tag #AllAgainstTheCancer.

Mónica Gómez has explained that the agreement with AECC will go beyond the creation of 'smoke-free spaces' in the Accessible Beaches and, from the Department of Health coordinated by Ana Pellicer, they are "studying expanding the initiative or other municipal spaces." She has also stressed that "soon", the Department of Parks and Gardens, directed by José Ramón González de Zárate, "will create El Moralet spaces where tobacco is avoided and healthy habits are promoted."

“This is – the councillor concluded – about raising awareness and disseminating among citizens the need to prevent smoking and services that help people quit a habit that causes enormous harm and affects patients and their families.”