Colombia’s Surprising New Tobacco Control Law
Friday, July 24th, 2009Colombia has just passed a law on tobacco that is, well, surprising, given the language of the original bill and how strongly the industry lobby fought against against any amendments to toughen it. Among other things, the new law: bans sales to minors of any tobacco product, and requires vendors to check for proof of […]
IMSP Finds Health Benefits of Mexico City’s Anti-Smoking Law
Thursday, June 11th, 2009Mexico’s National Public Health Institute (INSP) has released a study of health effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS, sometimes also referred to as “passive smoking” or secondhand smoke”) in bars and restaurants. The study checked 633 workers at 219 establishments in the the Federal District (DF, which comprises Mexico City and its environs) […]
New Cigarette Health Warnings/Images in Chile
Wednesday, October 1st, 2008A couple of weeks back Chile’s Health Ministry (Minsal) announced a new warning that, according to a new decree just published in the official gazette, all cigarette packs placed on the Chilean market must bear starting on 16 November. Chile, it appears, has decided to forgo the shock treatment approach that Brazil and Uruguay have […]
Passive Smoking Evidence from Entre Rios, Argentina
Monday, June 23rd, 2008Synopsis in English: You can still find people disputing the health impacts on non-smokers of those smoking around them, but they are a dwindling group. Here is another small study that may give them pause. The Applied Toxicology department of the Bromatology Faculty of the National University of Entre Rios (UNER), tested the urine of […]
Peru Launches Anti-tobacco Program
Friday, August 10th, 2007Synopsis in English: With much fanfare but few concrete details, Peru’s Health Ministry (MINSA) recently launched a five-year “National Plan to Combat Tobacco Addiction.” According to Health Minister Dr. Carlos Vallejos Sologuren, currently in Peru there are as many as 3.8 million smokers; 60.5% have tried tobacco smoking at least once in their life; the […]