Bad news for smokers. As of this Sunday, January 19, the new regulation of the General Law for the Control of Tobacco entered into force in Mexico, which contemplates various restrictions for the sale and consumption of this product throughout the country, as well as the total prohibition smoking in certain public places.

This is one of the strictest anti-smoking laws in the world, applauded by the World Health Organization (WHO), but considered excessive by the tobacco industry. And it is that this new norm prohibits all forms of advertising and sponsorship, including the display at points of sale of products such as tobacco, cigars and electronic cigarettes.

The foregoing means that service stores such as Oxxo and 7 Eleven, as well as grocery stores, must hide any advertising related to tobacco or cigarettes. Similarly, they may not be advertised through the media, Internet ads or through social networks. This rule also applies to film, television and theater.

One of the main objectives of this measure is to protect the health of the population, mainly that of the smallest, for this reason the new regulation also includes the expansion of tobacco-free spaces. From now on, smokers will have fewer places to smoke and new signage so they know where and when it’s allowed and when it’s not.

In which places in Mexico can you NO longer smoke?

Work centers.
Public transportation.
schools.
Venues where shows are held.
Hotels.
Stadiums.
Commercial places.
Beaches, parks or places where girls, boys and adolescents are, as well as those marked with the legend “Smoke-free space”.
Restaurants will no longer be able to offer smoking areas.
The Federal Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) will be the body in charge of monitoring compliance with the rule, and if you want to report a person who smokes in prohibited places, you can call 800 033 5050.

According to the Mexican authorities, this legislation extends the measures approved in 2008, when labeling with health warnings and the creation of smoke-free spaces were approved. Now, in addition, the direct or indirect display of tobacco products on shelves, drawers, showcases and sideboards is prohibited, which means that cigarette packs will disappear from the sight of customers.

Nor will it be allowed to display the logo, slogan or graphic arrangements of the different cigarette brands, a prohibition that includes racing vehicles; uniforms, caps and helmets of any team and video games in any of their formats.

Vaporizers and e-cigarettes will also be subject to new restrictions and stricter regulations, particularly indoors.

With this measure, the Mexican government hopes that the demand for tobacco will drop in the new generations and its consumption will be less and less. For its part, the Ministry of Health expects to prevent 49 thousand premature deaths and 292 thousand new cases of diseases associated with smoking in the next 10 years thanks to the denormalization of tobacco.

Regarding the economy, an improvement is also expected thanks to the savings of 116 thousand pesos in diseases associated with the consumption of cigarettes and other products with nicotine. According to data from the Ministry of Health, in Mexico, approximately one in eight citizens (16 million) are smokers.