Ecobreves – URUGUAY: Majority Heeds Anti-Smoking Decree

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

MONTEVIDEO, Sep 2 2006 (IPS) - With few exceptions, Uruguayans are obeying the six-month-old presidential decree that bans smoking in enclosed spaces, whether public or private, aside from one's own home. So far, “the assessment is satisfactory. We have conducted 1,500 inspections across the country and only eight infractions have been found,” in which fines have been handed down for about 1,100 dollars for the first violation, and 2,200 dollars for the second, Winston Abascal, head of the Public Health Ministry's national tobacco control program, told Tierramérica.

In Uruguay, smoking-related illnesses claim the lives of some 5,000 people each year — more than 500 of them from second-hand smoke.

President Tabaré Vázquez, who continues to practice as an oncologist, declared tobacco control an “issue of state”, and launched the campaign “a million thanks”, targeting the smokers affected by the measure.