Tobacco.org

• Support for Uruguay's Tough Tobacco Controls / Apoyo Ciudadano para las Medidas Contra Tabaquismo en Uruguay 

In December the Public Health Ministry (Ministerio de Salud Pública - MSP) of Uruguay released the results of a survey regarding public attitudes about tobacco issues and the 2005 decree on smoking in enclosed public places such as bars, restaurants, schools, discotheques, shopping malls, casinos, etc. (only in effect since March 2006). The survey, sponsored in part by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), shows substantial public understanding in Uruguay of the health risks associated with smoking and acceptance of the decree and its enforcement, despite lingering doubts about its effectiveness in getting smokers to quit or cut down on smoking.

The public smoking decree was part of a package of measures taken in 2005 in the name of implementing Uruguay' commitments under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Convention (FCTC). In May 2006 the President sent a draft law to parliament to codify the measures (laws are far more difficult to amend or repeal than are decrees).

The survey is unusual for several reasons. First, most PAHO-sponsored tobacco-related studies have tended to be historical — they study past trends, not current opinion. I hope this is not the last such study of existing and/or proposed LAC tobacco control measures — public health policies that have a better grasp of the public's understanding of the issues and acceptance/rejection of policy responses is always desirable.

Second, this is the first LAC poll I know of (if there are others I can be shown, I would be happy to be corrected) to look at implementation/enforcement of a specific national tobacco control measure — and more importantly, to be publicized by the government. This may be because the results favored the government's regulations, but be that as it may, I applaud the transparency and would urge other LAC governments to do likewise if they undertake such attitudinal studies, whether the results favor the government or not.

Third, frankly, the survey results themselves were eye-opening. Many LAC governments have justified reluctance or slowness to take tough action against tobacco products on the lack of public support for such measures. Is this because President Tabaré Vázquez, an oncologist, has made the case for tough tobacco controls more effectively than other LAC leaders? Or could it be that other LAC governments have under-estimated public acceptance of such measures? Probably only more surveys of this nature elsewhere in the region will answer that. . . .

This first graphic (click to enlarge) examines how convinced the Uruguayan public is about the health risks of tobacco.

Jump to full article »