Limiting freedom to promote health. This is the philosophy behind the measure that started this Saturday at the largest pool complex in Tenerife: the Complejo Costa Martíanez, more popularly known as Lago Martíanez.
This public facility managed by the City Council of Puerto de la Cruz, which will turn 54 years old next September, becomes a smoke-free space prohibiting smoking throughout its premises except only in dining areas.
World No Tobacco Day
The Council announces it through its social media. It is not a coincidence that Puerto de la Cruz chose this Saturday, May 31st as the date for the implementation of this measure. It coincides with the celebration of World No Tobacco Day.
Through its social media profiles, the Puerto City Council reports that “starting this Saturday, May 31st, the Costa Martíanez Tourist Complex will implement a new policy turning it into a smoke-free space“.
This initiative, driven by the area led by the Councilor for Beaches and specifically for this complex, Felipe Rodríguez, and supported by the mayor, Leopoldo Afonso, arises as a response to the “need to modernize and adapt the park to a more sustainable and healthy model for all its visitors”, specifies the City Council.
The only exception
Lago Martíanez has established that the only areas where smoking will be allowed are the dining areas, “thus ensuring that those who wish to enjoy a smoke-free environment can do so comfortably”.
Lago Martíanez, designed by the Lanzarote artist César Manrique, occupies 100,000 square meters and consists of an artificial central lake connected to a series of sea pools, gardens, terraces, and restaurants.
Bathers enjoy the pools of Lago Martíanez this Sunday, in the municipality of Puerto de la Cruz. / Andrés Gutiérrez
The central lake is a circular pool of 15,000 square meters with five islands inside, four of which are solarium areas. It is the largest in the Canary Islands and one of the largest in Spain.
It is the twelfth bathing area in Tenerife where smoking is prohibited. In this way, Puerto de la Cruz joins the two municipalities that led the way on the Island in this initiative seeking to promote health and limit harmful habits.
Other areas with a ban
The municipality that has most strongly advocated for this smoking ban is the capital. Since January 2023, the Cleaning and Waste Ordinance of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council states that it is prohibited to smoke on the beaches and bathing areas.
These prohibitions cover the entire sandy area, including any establishments found there, as well as spaces like platforms or ramps that have access to the sea. Those intending to smoke must move to areas away from bathing spaces so as not to disturb other bathers.
Santa Cruz and El Rosario
In this way, it is forbidden to smoke on: the beach of Las Teresitas, Las Gaviotas, playa Chica, playa del Roque de las Bodegas, Almáciga, playa de Benijo, Muelle de Añaza, playa Acapulco (Valleseco), El Bloque (Valleseco) and the San Andrés Dike.
These bathing areas add to another main one in another Tenerife municipality. El Rosario declared Playa del Litoral as a smoke-free zone. Penalties for violating this prohibition can range from 100 to 750 euros.
Environmental protection
The protection of the environment is another reason for this measure, as it prevents the presence of cigarette butts in the sand, as well as coastal pollution. Cigarette butts are a common and dangerous pollutant for the environment.
A single cigarette butt can contaminate up to 50 liters of drinking water and takes 2 to 10 years to decompose. This is because butts are made of cellulose acetate, a non-biodegradable plastic, and contain toxic substances like heavy metals, nicotine, and tar.
The implementation of measures to eliminate smoke from public spaces and end a habit that seriously threatens health has reduced the number of smokers in recent years. However, it’s still quite high.
One in four Canarians smokes
One in four Canarians between 15 and 64 years old smokes tobacco daily. This data, from the latest Survey on Alcohol and other Drugs in Spain (Edades), translates to the Archipelago recording this year the lowest number of heavy smokers on record.
In any case, the rate of islanders who smoke daily has fallen by more than ten percentage points since 2022, from 35.7% to 25% currently. This is a trend also observable nationwide, as in Spain habitual consumption has decreased by eight points, reaching historic lows.
50,000 deaths a year
Tobacco is the substance that kills the most Spaniards: 50,000 deaths a year. However, its consumption is quite widespread throughout the country. Specifically, in the Canary Islands, 66.8% have smoked at some point in their life, 39.4% in the last year, and 36% in the last month.
Facilities of Lago Martíanez, in the Tenerife municipality of Puerto de la Cruz. / E. D.
The City Council of Puerto de la Cruz is studying extending this measure to other public spaces in the tourist city. The mayor, Leopoldo Afonso, understands that this step is “fundamental for continuing to build a healthier and more sustainable Puerto de la Cruz“.
“The health of our citizens and tourists is a priority, and we are sure that this new measure will be welcomed by all,” stressed Alonso, adding: “We celebrate World No Tobacco Day with this concrete action demonstrating our social responsibility”.
History of the Lake
The Lago Martíanez was built on the grounds previously occupied by another coastal complex: the legendary Piscina de San Telmo or Lido San Telmo. Upon its inauguration in 1957, it became the fashionable spot for the island elites, with big and luxurious parties and formal dances where champagne was abundant.
Among its illustrious visitors were the Greek shipowner Aristotle Onassis, the British politician Winston Churchill, and three of the four members, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr, of the then little-known group The Beatles.
As Puerto de la Cruz became the cradle of tourism in the Islands, the San Telmo pool became too small. Hence, a much larger complex was projected on the same coastal grounds. On September 23, 1971, the Martíanez Pool Complex was inaugurated with the presence of the French artist Josephine Baker and the Tourism Minister Sánchez Bella.
Colossal figures
The figures resulting from the development of the complex were colossal: more than 30,000 square meters reclaimed from the sea, of which 15,000 corresponded to a pool area with five islands, one of them, the central one, around 2,000 square meters, which would house the legendary Sala Andrómeda.
Approximately 5,500 cubic meters of land were excavated, about 120,000 were filled, and at least 27,000 cubic meters of concrete were used. Likewise, the volume of volcanic rock used was more than 2,000 cubic meters, 2,000 square meters were landscaped with its corresponding irrigation and sewage network, and finally, a lighting system with more than 1,200 light points was installed.
Record figures
The Municipal Tourist Complex Costa Martíanez closed 2024 with record figures, achieving a total of 447,598 visitors, representing an increase of 84,808 compared to the previous year. Additionally, the complex’s revenue has increased significantly, reaching 2.3 million euros, which translates to a positive difference of 426,078 euros compared to 2023.
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