Tobacco.org

• Chile’s “Marlboro man” leads anti tobacco campaign  

Chile’s new “Marlboro Man” is Don Miguel, 70, a former cigarette addict and cancer survivor whose larynx was removed ten years ago.

A photograph of Don Miguel revealing the hole in his throat, along with a warning about the dangers of smoking, will cover half the surface area of all cigarette boxes sold in Chile within three months.

Miguel was an anti-smoking activist long before the Health Ministry asked him to be the poster boy for its campaign to cut back Chile’s tobacco consumption, the highest in Latin America. Monday marked the start of the campaign with a new government prohibition against smoking in public places and the sale of cigarettes to minors under 18, as well as regulations on tobacco advertising.

Speaking through a tube in his throat, Miguel has given his personal history to thousands of high school students across Chile . . .

The new Chilean law passed in May goes hand in hand with Miguel’s outreach to youth. Since 37% of Chile’s youth under 15 report smoking daily several of the new law’s measures are aimed directly at the under-18 demographic. In addition to outlawing sales to youth under the age of 18, cigarettes are prohibited within 100 meters of elementary and middle schools, and within 300 meters of high schools. Education and prevention are also on the agenda. By March 2007 all schools will teach students the dangers of smoking.

Chile is only the third country in South America - after Brazil and Uruguay - to impose significant restrictions on cigarette use and distribution.

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Chilean smoking ban takes effect 

Strict anti-smoking measures have come into force in Chile, including a ban on selling cigarettes to under-18s.

Advertising will be limited to tobacco sales points, which will have to put up warnings about health risks. Warnings on the packets will also be bigger.

From next year, larger restaurants will have to set up non-smoking areas.

Smaller ones will have to decide whether to designate themselves smoking or non-smoking throughout. Under-18s will not be allowed in smoking areas.

From Monday, smoking is banned on public transport, schools and health centres.

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• Anti-Smoking Law in Effect in Chile  

Millions of Chileans will now be forced to take their cigarette breaks outside because of a tough nationwide anti-smoking law that took effect Monday.

The government said the measure, which bans smoking in schools, hospitals, government offices, stadiums, buses and other public places - aims to reduce an annual rate of 14,000 tobacco-related deaths in this country of 15.5 million people.

Smoking also will be restricted in restaurants, with large eateries given until May 2007 to create fully partitioned nonsmoking sections. Smaller restaurants will be able to choose between being smoke free or upgrading their ventilation systems. . . .

The new law also restricts tobacco advertising, including a ban on promoting cigarettes as light or low-tar. At least half of cigarette packaging must now be devoted to warnings about the health risks of tobacco.

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BAT Launches Bid For 29.6% Of Chiletabacos It Doesn't Own ($$) 

British American Tobacco PLC (BTI) Thursday launched a public bid for the 29.6% of shares in Compania Chilena de Tabacos (CCT.SN) it doesn't already own.

BAT will offer shareholders 5,000 pesos ($9.26) per Chiletabacos share. Chiletabacos closed Wednesday at CLP3,750.00, with the total offer amounting to just over $192 million.

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Respiratory consequences of light and moderate smoking in young adults in Chile 

RESULTS: Among the 1232 subjects, 67.7% of the men and 49.4% of the women were smokers; the median cigarettes smoked per day was four for men and three for women. Smoking was associated with wheezing, waking up with a cough, breathlessness following exercise and persistent cough, with odds ratios (OR) between 1.94 (95% CI 1.41-2.66) and 3.12 (95% CI 2.21-4.40) among those smoking ≥5 cigarettes per day, compared to non-smokers. Smoking 1/FVC than non-smokers by approximately 0.8%. Smoking was not associated with FEV1, FEF25-75 or BHR status.

CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the early effects of smoking on respiratory symptoms. It could help governments in Latin America take vigorous action to deter young people from starting smoking.

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BACHELET’S FIRST LAW: TOBACCO TO BE STRICTLY CONTROLLED ($$) 

Chile’s anti-smoking legislation, unanimously passed by the Senate this week, could become the first law of President-elect Michelle Bachelet’s term in office when it goes before the House of Deputies on Tuesday. The legislation is one of the most restrictive in Latin America.

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A SMOKER’S TAKE ON THE ANTI-SMOKING LAW ($$) 

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CHILE CLOSER TO SMOKE-FREE AIR, AS BACHELET SIGNS ANTI-SMOKING LAW ($$) 

President Michelle Bachelet signed one of South America’s strictest anti-smoking laws Tuesday, placing important restrictions on advertising, commerce and cigarette consumption will take effect in 90 days.

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• "The new Tobacco Law is more than just a list of prohibited items" 

The President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, promulgated changes to Law no. 19,419, to regulate tobacco advertising and sales. She stated that "the new Tobacco Law is more than just a list of prohibited items. It is a series of initiatives meant to protect people’s health, but it is also meant to promote respect among all of us—something very important for the kind of country, and society, that we want to build up."

The President signed yesterday this legislation at the Millantú Educational Complex, in the Santiago-area district of Macul, along with Health Minister María Soledad Barría, Education Minister Martín Zilic, and Labor Minister Osvaldo Andrade. Macul Mayor Sergio Puyol, Senator Jaime Naranjo and former Health Minister Pedro García were all present as well, and the President thanked them for their commitment to pushing the legislation through Congress.

During her speech, Bachelet highlighted the preventative aspects of the law, pointing out that it would allow for the distribution of more information about the harmful effects of tobacco. "This bill is about protecting people, and protecting their health," she said, adding that "the difference between smoking and not smoking has to do with the difference between a better future and a future full of problems." . . .

Later, the President stated that with this legal modification, "we are making our laws conform to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control," with regulations offering non-smokers better protection by guaranteeing smoke-free areas; providing more information about the effects of tobacco use; and efficiently controlling publicity, promotion and advertisements for tobacco products.

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Chilean president issues new anti-smoking law 

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet issued a new law on Tuesday toughening local legislation on tobacco consumption and advertising.

    The new law bans all tobacco advertising, except where it is sold, and requests 50 percent of the cigarette box to be covered with warnings against the hazards of smoking.

    In addition, tobacco cannot be sold within 100 meters of primary schools, and shops selling tobacco within 300 meters of secondary schools cannot advertise the product.

    Bars and restaurants that are smaller than 100 square meters insize must choose to be either smoking or non-smoking bars, and thesmoking ones cannot allow anyone under 18 to enter

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• Bachelet signs law restricting sale and consumption of tobacco 

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday signed a law toughening this country's regulations on advertising, selling and consuming tobacco.

"Why is this law important? Because we know very well that tobacco is harmful to health and we know very well that there are not going to be enough doctors' offices or hospitals to attend to the (health) problems if we're not able to avoid them before they occur," the president said.

During the signing ceremony, which took place in a school in the capital neighborhood of Macul, Bachelet emphasized that the aim of the legislation is to harmonize Chile's internal regulations with the World Health Organization's framework agreement on tobacco control. . . .

The new law prohibits smoking in schools, public buildings, hospitals, universities, movie theaters, supermarkets and workplaces with more than 10 employees, unless they have specially designated smoking areas which are closed off from the rest of the facility and have their own ventilation.

In addition, the law eliminates tobacco advertising beginning 18 months after its entry into force and establishes that at least half the surface area of each cigarette pack must carry warnings about the dangers of smoking.

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Chile's Congress Passes Tough Anti-Tobacco Legislation ($$) 

Chile's congress late Tuesday passed new anti-tobacco legislation that largely prohibits advertisement for tobacco products, along with restricting sales and smoking. . . .

A 100-country survey found a third of students between 13 and 15 smoked, more than in all other survey participants, the ministry said.

While Health Minister Maria Soledad Barria applauded the new rules and said they would be applied in the near term, Luis Laso, a spokesman for Chile's largest tobacco industry company, Chiletabacos, said the law "sets a precedent never seen before in Chilean legislation as it almost completely silences a legal industry."

The legislation will also boost illicit selling of tobacco products, he added in an opinion piece published Wednesday in local daily La Tercera.

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CAMPOS: Chile Turns Its Back on Tobacco 

I remember 10 years ago in Chile that smokers didn't respect nonsmokers. Step-by-step, however, smokers adopted a different attitude, and today it is very common to see no-smoking zones in restaurants or someone asking in a meeting "May I smoke here?"

The new anti-smoking law, which was passed on March 14, is the culmination of a very difficult campaign and is news in two senses -- in Chile we have the highest percentage of smokers in Latin America and the highest rate of teenagers who smoke between 13 and 15 years of age.

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Chile works on law to curb smoking 

Chile's lower house of parliament approved a bill on Tuesday to restrict smoking in public places and cigarette advertisements.

Legislators from the Chamber of Deputies said the bill also specifically prohibits retailers from selling cigarettes within 100 meters of primary and middle schools.

Bars and restaurants with service areas less than 100 square meters will have to choose to be either smoking or non-smoking, and those of more than 100 square meters will have to designate an isolated area with good ventilation if they want to serve smokers.

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Chile passes anti-smoking law 

Chilean legislators approved a new anti-smoking law on Tuesday in a major step toward cutting the habit in a country where more than 40 percent of the people smoke.

Chile's lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, approved the law after more than a year of debate that pitted a powerful tobacco lobby against health advocates.

The law limits smoking -- but stops short of banning it outright -- in bars, restaurants and other public places. It prohibits the sale of cigarettes within 100 yards (metres) of schools.

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