E-cigarettes now banned near children's playgrounds, schools and health centres on pain of 600-euro fines

Anywhere that prohibits the use of electronic or E-cigarettes should bear a sign to that effect and warning consumers that they will be sanctioned.

Public buildings, including council offices, libraries and community centres, all forms of public transport including airlines run by Spanish companies, and any education centre except in open spaces in universities or those with exclusively adult students are all no-go areas for people 'smoking' E-cigarettes, an action known as 'vaping' because these give off vapour rather than smoke.

Minor infractions will be sanctioned with 30-euro fines, but if the smoker is caught a third time, the fine will rise to 600 euros.

Businesses or individuals at their helm who permit illegal use of E-cigarettes, or set aside dedicated areas for them, will be hit with fines ranging from 601 to 10,000 euros.

The new law, which is now effective across Spain, prevents the use of E-cigarettes anywhere that traditional cigarettes are banned, with the exception – to date – of bars and restaurants under private ownership.

Doctors say that even though the only ingredient in E-cigarettes which is the same as in traditional cigarettes is nicotine, some of the other chemical compounds involved are also carcinogenic.

And with nicotine being emitted through the vapour, this can be inhaled by other people near the smoker, they say.

As yet, investigators have not found any conclusive evidence that inhaling nicotine is harmless, meaning that the Spanish government has chosen to restrict consumption in public – even though E-cigarettes do not give off tar or carbon monoxide.