Ser and Estar.
Such expressions as "Smoking is prohibited," are translated as:

• Es prohibido fumar.

or

• Está prohibido fumar.

Both translations are grammatically correct ("Está prohibido fumar" is the general expression in this particular case).

If we say "Es prohibido fumar," we are referring to the "doer" of the action: "Es prohibido por la ley, por la policia, por los jefes, etc., etc."--a case of passive voice.

If we say "Está prohibido fumar" we have no "doer" in our mind, but only the thing itself = a case of "a condition of things" resulting from the action (the prohibition).

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