MundoAndino Home : Argentina Guide at MundoAndino
Smoking in Argentina
Smoking in Argentina is subject to a number of bans in different jurisdictions, and there is a nationwide governmental campaign against tobacco smoking and advertising. Argentina accounts for 15% of total tobacco consumption in Latin America.
According to the National Program on Tobacco Control, 33.5% of the adult population of Argentina smokes, and 30% start smoking before 11 years of age; tobacco causes more than 100 deaths every day , and the cost of the treatment of tobacco-related diseases amounts to 4,300 million Argentine pesos per year, 15.5% of the total public expenditure on health care. The government only collects 3,500 million pesos per year in taxes on cigarettes.
National Law 23344, Law 23344 Ley de limitacion de las publicidades sobre cigarrillos y obligatoriedad de inscripcion de envases. passed on 29 August 1986, established restrictions on advertising and promotion of tobacco, and dictated that cigarette packs must include a legend warning that Smoking is harmful to health, but did not include sanctions against violations of the law .
In September 2003 Argentina signed the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, though ratification was delayed by two years. Analysts blame tobacco industry interests for this delay, as with previous failures in implementing serious anti-smoking policies.
, a project to ban smoking in all public and enclosed spaces, sent by the Executive to the National Congress in August 2005, is waiting to be treated. Legislative lobbying from the tobacco industry is proposing an alternative, weaker law, championed by Jujuy Province Senator Liliana Fellner, who has called herself "the voice of the [tobacco] producers" (Jujuy is one the seven tobacco-producing provinces in Argentina). Pagina/12. 18 September 2006. Una guerra legislativa que levanta humo.
A nationwide telephone survey published in August 2006 showed overwhelming support of the population for laws that establish "smoke-free spaces" in public spaces such as offices, factories, shopping malls and banks , and that completely forbid smoking in schools, universities and hospitals (97%). More than three quarters among the surveyed (including almost two thirds of the smokers) also supported smoking bans for bars and restaurants. Clarin. 24 August 2006. La mayoria de la gente, a favor de los espacios libres de humo.
Provincial and municipal laws on smoking
In 2003, according to national sources, 75% of the Argentine provinces had some form of smoking legislation. Either in addition to or in the absence of provincial laws, many municipalities have local regulations to the same effect. Fines might be established for trespassers . The actual application of this legislation varies considerably.
In Santa Fe it is forbidden to smoke in enclosed public spaces and to sell tobacco to minors. (Provincial Law 12432) La Capital. 10 November 2005. En medio de una fuerte polemica, Obeid firma hoy la ley "antipucho". La Capital. 23 June 2006. Multas de hasta $ 4.500 para los duenos de bares donde se fume.
In La Rioja and Chubut it is forbidden to smoke in enclosed spaces and in public offices.
In Mendoza there are also "smoke-free spaces" in schools, hospitals and other public buildings.
In Cordoba ''and Tucuman (Provincial Law 7575), smoking bans for public places are in effect since mid-2006. La Nacion. 29 June 2006. Tucuman se despide del cigarrillo. Clarin. 1 June 2006. En Cordoba ya no se puede fumar en lugares publicos ni privados.
In Buenos Aires City it is forbidden to smoke in government offices and (since October 2006) in all public enclosed spaces, except in businesses of more than 100 m where smoking areas have been set up. (Law 1799) Clarin. 1 October 2006.Ley antitabaco: largan los controles y hay pocos locales reformados''.
Chaco, Neuquen, Tierra del Fuego and Salta have similar laws, though they are not always respected.
Need more information for your travel research or homework?
Ask your questions at the forum about Argentine law or help others to find answers.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Smoking in Argentina
