[How is the compliance with the tobacco control law in hospitaty terraces?]

To describe tobacco consumption and the compliance with the law on hospitality terraces in Barcelona.

Cross-sectional study by observation in a sample of 120 hospitality terraces in Barcelona. 30-minute observations were made using a standardized record sheet. The study variables were number of people smoking, number of cigarettes smoked, cigarette butts, socioeconomic status of the neighborhood, time of observation, consumption regulation, number of chairs and number of persons.

There were people smoking at the time of the observation in 97.5% of the terraces, with no differences according to socioeconomic level of the neighborhood or the regulation of the terrace. There was no compliance with the law in 100% of the terraces where smoking was banned.

The widespread non-compliance with the current law indicates the need to implement a smoking ban without exceptions on hospitality terraces.