Costa
Rica's
Ban
On
Smoking
Now
In
Effect
The
Ley
Antitabaco
(anti-smoking
la),
whose
full
name
is
the
Ley
General
de
Control
del
Tabaco
y
sus
Efectos
Nocivos
en
la
Salud,
was
published
Monday
in
La
Gaceta
and
as
of
today
is
in
effect.
However,
don't
expect
for
it
to
be
enforced
for
a
few
months
as
the
government,
mainly
the
Ministerio
de
Salud,
enacts
regulations.
Presidenta
Laura
Chinchilla
signed
the
approved
bill
last
Thursday
and
all
that
was
left
for
it
to
take
effect
was
its
publication
in
the
official
government
publication.
The
anti-smoking
imposes
a
ban
all
smoking
of
tobacco
products
in
all
public
places,
including
bars,
restaurants,
clubs,
the
workplace,
bus
stops,
taxi
stands,
etc.
The
law
also
imposes
a
˘20
colones
tax
on
every
cigarette
and
bans
the
sale
of
anything
but
a
full
pack
of
20.
In
effect,
the
practice
of
selling
one
cigarette,
common
on
the
streets
of
downtown
San
José
and
bars,
will
now
be
sanctioned
with
a
fine
of
˘36.000
colones
(around
us$72).
The
law
also
imposes
restrictions
on
the
distribution
and
advertising
of
tobacco
products,
where
manufacturers
must
place
a
warning
on
at
least
50%
of a
"cajetilla"
(pack
of
cigarettes)
on
the
dangers
of
smoking.
Advertising
on
billsboards,
events
and
promotions
will
also
be
regulated.
Ley
bans
the
smoking
in
public
of
products
containing
Nicotiana
tabacum,
or
cultivated
tobacco.
Not
included
in
the
ban
are
electronic
cigarettes,
an
alternative
to
smoking
tobacco.
An
electronic
cigarette,
or
e-cigarette,
also
known
as
an
ecig,
is
an
electrical
device
that
simulates
the
act
of
tobacco
smoking
by
producing
an
inhaled
vapor
bearing
the
physical
sensation,
appearance,
and
often
the
flavor
and
nicotine
content
of
inhaled
tobacco
smoke,
without
its
odor
or,
ostensibly,
its
health
risks.
The
device
uses
heat
(or
in
some
cases,
ultrasonics)
to
vaporize
a
propylene
glycol-
or
glycerin-based
liquid
solution
into
an
aerosol
mist,
similar
to
the
way
a
nebulizer
or
humidifier
vaporizes
solutions
for
inhalation.
