In which public places is smoking already prohibited in Mexico?

Mexico extended from this Sunday, January 15, the prohibition of consume tobacco in various public spaces, from beaches to parks, as well as their advertising in any media, according to a legal reform approved by the Government.

The presidential decree, which modifies the General Law for Tobacco Control, aims at “regulation for protection against exposure to tobacco smoke and its emissions,” according to the document published last December.

To this end, it expanded the list of spaces for “collective gathering” where it will not be possible to “consume or have any tobacco or nicotine product lit.”

These spaces include patios, terraces, balconies, amusement parks, areas where children and adolescents congregate, sports facilities, beaches, performance and entertainment centers, courts, stadiums, arenas, shopping malls, markets, hotels, transportation stops, among others.

Public areas of prisons and detention centers are also subject to the ban, the decree details.

The legal reform also seeks to “establish the control, promotion and sanitary surveillance” of its products and in particular to prohibit “all forms of advertising, promotion and sponsorship of the same”.

Under this premise, tobacco consumers will only be able to find out about the availability and price of their favorite products through written lists with their prices, but “without logos, stamps or brands.”

The ban on the promotion and advertising of tobacco also includes that carried out through social networks, by streaming services, through “influencers” or any other form of digital marketing, according to the decree.

The Employers’ Confederation of the Mexican Republic (coparmex) from Mexico City rejected the implementation of the decree, alleging an economic impact on small businesses that sell cigarettes and a violation of the right of adult consumers to decide.

“Of the 85,000 grocery stores in Mexico City, they generate up to 25% of their sales for this product,” said the coparmex in a statement released Friday.

The Mexican capital leads anti-smoking policies in the country. Last June, the local government prohibited smoking in areas of the historic center such as the Zócalo -main square- under penalty of fines ranging from 50 to 170 dollars.

It is estimated that in Mexico -of 126 million inhabitants- there are some 15 million smokers, of which 5% (684,000) are adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, according to data from the National Institute of Public Health.

kg