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Costa
Rica's
Antismoking
Law
To
Greatly
Affect
"Casual"
Smokers
One
in
six
Costa
Ricans
smoke,
according
to
the
Caja
Costarricense
de
Seguro
Social
(CCSS
or
Caja).
However,
casual
smokers
is
another
matter.
Chances
are
if
you
a
Tico
or
Tica
if
they
smoke,
the
answer
is a
resounding
no.
But,
the
same
can
be
found
at
the
local
watering
hole
with
a
cigarette
in
one
hand
and
beer
in
the
other.
The
sight
of
those
between
20
and
39
who
claim
they
do
not
smoke,
is
common
in
bars
across
the
country.
It
is
also
not
uncommon
for
Costa
Ricans
to
be
walking
the
pedestrian
boulevards
and
reinforcing
the
"I
don't
smoke
mentality",
buy
one
cigarette
from
vendors.
The
Ley
Antitabaco
(antismoking
law)
that
was
approved
last
week
and
is
now
in
doubt
due
to a
historic
Constitutional
Court
decision
last
Friday
aims
to
curb
smoking
in
public
places,
including
the
workplace,
and
attack
head
on
the
problem
of
the
causal
smoker.
If
the
Court
gives
the
green
light,
the
law
would
not
only
curb
smoking,
but
regulate
advertising
and
marketing
and
eliminate
the
sale
of
just
one
cigarette,
adding
a
tax
of
˘400
colones
on a
pack
of
20
and
take
effect
by
mid
year.
It
is a
social
custom
to
light
up
while
drinking.
And
in a
recent
informal
survey
by
Inside
Costa
Rica,
while
most
in
the
streets
are
in
favour
of
the
smoking
ban,
the
casual
smoker
calls
"stupid"
the
ban
in
bars.
Criticism
of
the
law
has
also
come
from
the
Restaurant
Chamber,
which
defends
the
interests
of
eateries,
bars
and
nightclubs
and
has
worked
with
the
tobacco
industry
for
decades.
Those
who
are
pro
the
ban,
led
by
Dr.
Roberto
Castro,
a
Caja
doctor,
the
law
does
not
infringe
on
individual
rights
and
the
government
has
a
right
to
protect
public
health.
To
be
clear,
the
Ley
Antitabaco
does
not
ban
cigarette
sales
as
many
thing
it
does,
only
where
they
can
be
smoked.
For
their
part,
the
tobacco
companies,
of
which
British
American
Tobacoo
and
Tabacalera
Costarricense
(a
division
of
Philip
Morris)
argue
that
the
new
law
is
to
strict
and
it
will
boost
an
underground
(black)
market.
The
tobacco
companies
also
argue
that
the
answer
is
not
increased
taxation.
In
2009,
a
Ministerio
de
Salud
poll
showed
that
more
than
90%
of
Costa
Ricans
supported
the
law,
despite
that
almost
15%
are
declared
smokers.
In
2010,
the
Caja
reports
spending
us$14
million
dollars
to
treat
tobacco
related
illnesses.
That
number
represents
more
than
5%
of
the
Caja's
annual
spending.
The
movement
to
ban
smoking
in
public
places
began
in
1995
with
a
weak
anti-tobacco
law
that
favoured
more
the
manufacturers
than
to
promote
the
end
user
to
butt
out.
While
many
argue
that
the
new
law,
again
if
allowed
to
take
effect,
would
be
impossible
to
enforce
and
that
its
effect
in
bars,
restaurants
and
clubs
will
be
minimal.
Others,
however,
argue
that
the
transition
will
go
smooth
and
most
will
respect
the
law
and
the
rights
of
non-smokers
to
enjoy
a
smoke
free
environment.
Whatever
the
case,
the
onus
is
being
placed
squarely
on
the
shoulders
of
bar
and
restaurant
owners
to
stop
smokers
from
lighting
up
on
their
premises.
Bar
and
restaurant
owners
argue
they
will
lose
some
business,
partly
to
the
loss
of
cigarette
sales,
and
would
prefer
a
designated
smoking
area
to a
full
ban.
If
the
law
finally
goes
into
effect,
Costa
Rica
won't
be
alone
among
Latin
American
countries
with
antismoking
laws.
Countries
with
tough
antismoking
laws
in
Latin
America
include:
Argentina,
that
last
month
introduced
a
stricter
law;
Brazil
where
smoking
in
public
places
has
been
banned
since
1996,
Chile,
Cuba,
the
land
of
cigars;
Guatemala,
that
passed
a
complete
smoking
bank
in
2008;
Honduras;
Mexico;
Uruguay;
and
Venezuela,
that
introduced
a
ban
on
smoking
smoking
in
all
enclosed
public
and
commercial
spaces.
Owners
must
post
the
ban
in
their
establishments
or
face
fines.
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