News Briefs

Anti-smoking bill passes first debate

Posted: Monday, February 20, 2012 - By Tico Times

The country moves one step closer to approving massive anti-tobacco reforms.

Tico Times

Costa Rican lawmakers could give final approval to a tough, new anti-smoking bill this week.

Sweeping reforms to Costa Rica’s smoking laws passed the first round of debate in the Legislative Assembly on Monday. Lawmakers approved the bill 46 votes in favor and 4 against.

The bill, if it passes another round of voting on Thursday, would ban smoking in bars, restaurants, public buildings, bus stops and taxi stands. Individual cigarettes would be taxed an extra ₡20 (4 cents). A previous law banned smoking in public buildings, but was vague, allowing businesses like bars and restaurants to permit smoking indoors.

“We are delighted by this law, because Costa Ricans finally will be free of smoke,” said Luis Antonio Campos from the National Liberation Party (PLN) and a member of the legislative commission that successfully debated the bill before it moved to a vote before the full assembly.

The country’s lax smoking laws have been debated for years, but roadblocks arose every time a version of the anti-tobacco bill came to vote. The National Anti-Tobacco Network and Health Minister Daisy Corrales helped push the bill through. The minister praised the assembly for approving the measure.

“This is a milestone to be celebrated in the country,” Corrales said in a statement from the PLN's press office. “We are very happy because the motion was also approved for funding. We were looking at how best to move forward preventive health measures and treatment associated with this smoking ban.”

The vote came after lawmakers decided to put aside discussions on Costa Rica’s fiscal reform plan in order to bring up issues that appear ready for vote, such as the anti-smoking law and traffic law reforms. The anti-smoking bill would help Costa Rica fall in line with guidelines set by the World Health Organization.

Campos said that fines for smoking in restricted public areas would range from one to two minimum salaries, and would increase for repeat offenders.

The second debate for the bill is scheduled for Thursday. If it passes a second vote, the bill will be sent to President Laura Chinchilla's desk for signing.

Currently 0 out of 5 Stars.
1
2
3
4
5

Rating: 0/5 (0 votes cast)

To comment, write a letter to the editor to letters@ticotimes.net. Please make sure to include your full name and location. Letters must be 500 words or fewer. Submissions should be original.

Comments

Tracy USA

Tuesday March 06 2012

Smokers are an easy target. Most people who don’t smoke find the habit completely disgusting. This doesn’t mean they do not have the right to smoke, nor does it mean the business owners should have to be fined.

When businesses in the USA started kicking people out of the bars to smoke and onto the streets more police were called because drinking people out on the street at 2am are quite noisy. Of well, I don’t live next store to a bar, so I don’t care right?

Then in the USA they started charging smoker more because that habit kills you. Well smokers may get sick more but die sooner. Then the hospitals/pharmaceuticals can’t make any money from them. Dead by 60 something and not peeing themselves in a wheelchair until they are 90 something. Oh yeah we pay medical expenses for people 30 years longer for non-smokers. Oh well, I don’t care because I am not making money off sick people or collecting insurance for an extra 30 years from people, right?

Because they allowed the insurance companies to charge more for smokers, this opens the door for overweight people, people with AIDS, and people with all kinds of diseases natural or not. Of well, I don’t care because I am pretty healthy and I’ll never get sick, right?

My favorite is… I don’t want my children to be exposed to second hand smoke. So we ban smoking in bars. Oh well, I am not the type of person who brings my children to bars so I don’t have to worry.

To this end, they should not force small businesses out of business to help big businesses. That is what they do here is the USA and YES it is wrong. This is what the policy is really about, they could care less about the little people.