Madrid – Spain's government said Monday it wants to introduce a total ban on smoking in public places.

Health authorities "would like to take the decision to totally ban smoking in all public places," based on opinion polls which show that the majority of Spaniards back such a move, Health Minister Trinidad Jimenez said.

"The polls that we have carried out, including among smokers, indicate that 70 percent of the population would be favourable to a total ban," she told Cadena Ser radio, noting the success of such moves in Ireland, Italy and Turkey.

Spain already has an anti-smoking law in force since January 2006, less restrictive that in other European countries, which bans smoking in the workplace and on public transport but only partially in bars and restaurants.

The law "allowed us to get used to not smoking in the workplace and in some public places" and Spanish society is now "mature enough" for a total ban, Jimenez said.

Following the statement from the Minister for Health about banning smoking in closed public places, El Mundo reports that bar and restaurant owners have said that Trinidad Jimenez wants to ruin them.