This year the Balearic Islands will have 50 beaches in the Balearic network of smoke-free beaches, 10 more than last year’s campaign.
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Muro and Port de Sant Miquel beaches
The councillor for Health attends the ceremony to mark the Muro beach with the “Smoke-free beach” sign
The councillor of Health, accompanied by the director general of Coasts and Coastal Areas of the Regional Ministry of the Sea and Water Cycle, Carlos Simarro, the director general of Mental Health, Alicia González, and the mayor of Muro, Miquel Porquer, this morning attended the act of signage that integrates the Playa de Muro into the Balearic Network of smoke-free beaches. Also present at the event were the president of the Spanish Association Against Cancer in the Balearic Islands, José Reyes, and several volunteers from the organisation.
Playa de Muro is one of the 10 beaches that have joined the Healthy Beaches Campaign 2024, as well as Playa del Puerto de Sant Miquel, in the municipality of San Juan de Labritja, and eight more beaches in the municipality of Manacor.
There are now 50 beaches that form part of the Balearic Network of Smoke-free Beaches, an initiative promoted by the Regional Ministry of Health, through the Directorate General of Mental Health, and by the Regional Ministry of the Sea and Water Cycle, whose aim is to prevent smoking in the marked areas, promote healthy habits and raise awareness among the population about the importance of not leaving waste in natural spaces.
These beaches, which are part of the awareness-raising campaign “Smoke-free beaches, healthy beaches 2024”, install signs at the entrances to inform users of this new classification and invite them to collaborate in maintaining the beaches free of smoke and waste.
Smoking prevention and promotion of healthy habits
Tobacco consumption is currently one of the main causes of avoidable illness and death worldwide. According to recent data from the survey on drug use, in the Balearic Islands 34.5% of students aged 14 to 18 say they have smoked tobacco at some time in their lives. 29.1% have done so in the past. 29.1% have done so in the last year, 22.2% in the last thirty days and 6.9% daily in the last month. The prevalence of tobacco use is higher among women.
That is why initiatives such as this one are important, said the councillor for Health: “every little step we take to raise awareness among young people about the dangers of tobacco, to work on prevention and to promote healthy lifestyles is ground gained”. García stressed that “this is the only way for future generations to live a life free of tobacco”.
“I would like to invite the municipalities that are not yet part of it to join this initiative. It is a positive, voluntary initiative, without impositions, that adds up… The more smoke-free beaches, the more steps we will be taking together for the prevention and promotion of health, and also for the fight against tobacco,” said the councillor for Health.
Tobacco waste
Tobacco waste, on the other hand, contains more than 7,000 toxic chemicals that poison the environment. Cigarette butts are the most common type of waste found in marine litter. In this regard, Carlos Simarro, Director General of Coasts and Coastal Areas, explained during the event that the Regional Ministry of the Sea is committed to protecting the environment and promoting health. “This initiative in Playa de Muro reflects this commitment, seeking to raise awareness of the impact of smoking both on health and on our natural spaces,” said Simarro, who added that “it is a measure that not only benefits non-smokers, but also encourages greater coexistence and respect for the environment. It is an important step towards a healthier and more sustainable future for everyone”.
The list of beaches participating in the campaign can be consulted on the website https://www.caib.es/sites/tabaquisme/ca/platges_sense_fum/es