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Date Published: 15/04/2026

Push for a total ban on smoking on all Benidorm beaches this summer

Benidorm is being urged to follow its neighbours who have already signed up to the Valencian smoke-free beaches network

Benidorm's Socialist opposition group is pushing the town's ruling People's Party (PP) to sign up to the Valencian Community's Smoke-Free Beaches Network, a move that would see all of the resort's beaches become no-smoking zones.

The proposal, put forward by Socialist councillor Laura Rubio, points to the example set by several neighbouring towns in the Marina Baixa region. La Vila Joiosa has already declared all 13 of its beaches and coves smoke-free, with l'Alfàs del Pi and Finestrat also active members of the regional network. According to Rubio, that makes Benidorm's current position increasingly difficult to justify.

"It's unacceptable that in a city like Benidorm, smoke-free areas are limited to very specific points on accessible beaches, while the rest of the coastline remains unprotected," she said.

The argument isn't purely about the comfort of non-smoking beachgoers, although that's clearly part of it. Rubio pointed to the environmental damage caused by cigarette butts, describing them as one of the most harmful and most common types of waste found on beaches.

According to the councillor, a single cigarette butt can contaminate up to 50 litres of water, takes around a decade to decompose, and releases microplastics along with toxic substances including arsenic and lead into the marine ecosystem in the process.

Rubio finished with a pointed message for mayor Toni Pérez and the PP administration, suggesting that neighbouring towns have already shown the measure is well received by both tourists and residents.

"We hope the PP will set aside its usual arrogance and understand that protecting people's health and the future of our beaches is a necessary investment to maintain Benidorm's tourism excellence," she said.

The PP has not yet responded publicly to the proposal.

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