We reviewed the adoption and implementation of smokefree policies in all Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) countries. Significant progress has been achieved among LAC countries since the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was adopted in 2005. Both national and sub-national legislation have provided effective mechanisms to increase the fraction of the population protected from secondhand tobacco smoke. Civil society has actively promoted these policies and played a main role in enacting them and monitoring their enforcement. The tobacco industry, while continuing to oppose the approval and regulation of the laws at legislative and executive levels, has gone a step further by litigating against them in the Courts. As in the US and elsewhere, this litigation has failed to stop the legislation.
References
[1]
Champagne, B.M.; Sebrié, E.; Schoj, V. The role of organized civil society in tobacco control in Latin America and the Caribbean. Salud Publica Mex. 2010, 52, S330–S339, doi:10.1590/S0036-36342010000800031.
[2]
Sebrié, E.M.; Schoj, V.; Glantz, S.A. Smokefree environments in Latin America: On the road to real change? Prev. Control 2008, 3, 21–35, doi:10.1016/j.precon.2007.09.001.
[3]
Nixon, M.L.; Mahmoud, L.; Glantz, S.A. Tobacco industry litigation to deter local public health ordinances: The industry usually loses in court. Tob. Control 2004, 13, 65–73, doi:10.1136/tc.2003.004176.
[4]
Sebrié, E.M.; Glantz, S.A. “Accommodating” Smoke-free policies: Tobacco industry’s courtesy of choice programme in Latin America. Tob. Control 2007, 16, e6, doi:10.1136/tc.2006.018275.
[5]
Dearlove, J.V.; Bialous, S.A.; Glantz, S.A. Tobacco industry manipulation of the hospitality industry to maintain smoking in public places. Tob. Control 2002, 11, 94–104, doi:10.1136/tc.11.2.94. 12034999
[6]
Regulación de la publicidad, promoción y consumo de los productos elaborados con tabaco. (Regulation of advertising, promotion, and consumption of tobacco products). Argentina Law 26.687, Available online: http://www.boletinoficial.gov.ar/DisplayPdf.aspx?s=BPBCF&f=20110614 (accessed on 15 December 2011). (14 June 2011).
[7]
Sebrié, E.M.; Glantz, S.A. Local smoke-free policy development in Santa Fe, Argentina. Tob. Control 2010, 19, 110–116, doi:10.1136/tc.2009.030197.
[8]
Crosbie, E.; Sebrié, E.M.; Glantz, S.A. Strong advocacy led to successful implementation of smokefree Mexico City. Tob. Control 2011, 20, 64–72, doi:10.1136/tc.2010.037010.
[9]
Alday, J.; Murukutla, N.; Cedillo, C.; Johns, P.; Monteiro, A.; Wakefield, M. Smoke-free S？o Paulo: A campaign evaluation and the case for sustained mass media investment. Salud Publica Mex. 2010, 52, S216–S225, doi:10.1590/S0036-36342010000800017.
[10]
Issa, J.S.; Abe, T.M.O.; Pereira, A.C.; Megid, M.C.; Shimabukuro, C.E.; Valentin, L.S.O.; da C Ferreira, M.M.; Nobre, M.R.C.; Lancarotte, I.; Barretto, A.C.P. The effect of S？o Paulo’s smoke-free legislation on carbon monoxide concentration in hospitality venues and their workers. Tob. Control 2011, 20, 156–162, doi:10.1136/tc.2010.037614.
[11]
Bialous, S.A.; Presman, S.; Gigliotti, A.; Muggli, M.; Hurt, R. A resposta da indústria do tabaco à cria？？o de espa？os livres de fumo no Brasil (Response of the tobacco industry to the creation of smoke-free environments in Brazil). Rev. Pamam. Salud Publica 2010, 27, 283–290.
[12]
Alianza de Controle de Tabagismo (ACT Brazil). Mapa de ambientes livres do tabaco no Brasil. 2012. Available online: http://actbr.org.br/biblioteca/mapa.asp#mapa (accessed on 7 March 2012).
[13]
Muggli, M.E.; Lockhart, N.J.; Ebbert, J.O.; Jimenez-Ruiz, C.A.; Riesco Miranda, J.A.; Hurt, R.D. Legislating tolerance: Spain’s national public smoking law. Tob. Control 2010, 19, 24–30, doi:10.1136/tc.2009.031831.
[14]
Schneider, N.K.; Sebrié, E.M.; Fernandez, E. The so-called “Spanish model”—Tobacco industry strategies and its impact in Europe and Latin America. BMC Public Health 2011, 11, doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-907.
[15]
World Health Organization (WHO). Policy Recommendations on Protection from Exposure to Second-Hand Tobacco Smoke; WHO: Geneva, Switzerland, 2007.
[16]
World Health Organization (WHO). Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on tobacco Control. Second Session: Guidelines on Protection from Exposure to Tobacco Smoke; WHO: Geneva, Switzerland, 2007.
[17]
Herrera, S. Denuncian que la ley antitabaco favorece a los bingos y los casinos. Perfil: Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2009. Available online: http://www.diarioperfil.com.ar/edimp/0401/articulo.php?art=16966&ed=0401 (accessed on 7 March 2012).
[18]
Fundación InterAmericana del Corazón México (FIC México). Espacios libres de humo. 2012. Available online: http://www.interamericanheart.org/ficmexico/espacios-libres-de-humo/ (accessed on 7 March 2012).
[19]
InterAmerican Heart Foundation. Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Challenges for Latin America and the Caribbean; Civil society report; InterAmerican Heart Foundation: Dallas, TX, USA, 2010.
[20]
Thrasher, J.F.; Boado, M.; Sebrié, E.M.; Bianco, E. Smoke-free policies and the social acceptability of smoking in Uruguay and Mexico: Findings from the International tobacco control policy evaluation project. Nicotine Tob. Res. 2009, 11, 591–599, doi:10.1093/ntr/ntp039.
[21]
Thrasher, J.F.; Swayampakala, K.; Arillo-Santillan, E.; Sebrié, E.; Walsemann, K.M.; Bottai, M. Differential impact of local and federal smoke-free legislation in Mexico: A longitudinal study among adult smokers. Salud Publica Mex. 2010, 52, S244–S253, doi:10.1590/S0036-36342010000800020.
[22]
Thrasher, J.F.; Perez-Hernandez, R.; Swayampakala, K.; Arillo-Santillan, E.; Bottai, M. Policy support, norms, and secondhand smoke exposure before and after implementation of a comprehensive smoke-free law in Mexico City. Am. J. Public Health 2010, 100, 1789–1798, doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.180950. 20466952
[23]
Infobae. Funes vetó la ley antitabaco de El Salvador. Infobae: Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2011. Available online: http://america.infobae.com/notas/29573-Funes-veto-la-ley-antitabaco-de-El-Salvador (accessed on 2 March 2012).
[24]
Sebrié, E.M.; Barnoya, J.; Perez-Stable, E.J.; Glantz, S.A. Tobacco industry successfully prevented tobacco control legislation in Argentina. Tob. Control 2005, 14, e2, doi:10.1136/tc.2005.011130.
[25]
Barnoya, J.; Glantz, S. Tobacco industry success in preventing regulation of secondhand smoke in Latin America: The “Latin Project”. Tob. Control 2002, 11, 305–314, doi:10.1136/tc.11.4.305.
[26]
Urquilla, K.; Machuca, E. Diputados reforman la recién aprobada de ley de tabaco. El Salvador.com: El Salvador, 2011. Available online: http://www.elsalvador.com/mwedh/nota/nota_completa.asp?idCat=47673&idArt=6391799 (accessed on 4 March 2012).
[27]
Crosbie, E.; Sebrié, E.M.; Glantz, S.A. Tobacco industry success in Costa Rica: The importance of FCTC Article 5.3. Salud Publica Mex. 2012, 54, 28–38, doi:10.1590/S0036-36342012000700005. 22286826
[28]
Tico Times. Costa Rican court halts anti-smoking bill pending constitutional review. Tico Tomes: San José, Costa Rica, 2012. Available online: http://www.ticotimes.net/Current-Edition/News-Briefs/Costa-Rican-court-halts-anti-smoking-bill-pending-constitutional-review_Friday-March-02-2012 (accessed on 6 March 2012).
[29]
Paredes, J. Hoy se recuerda el día mundial contra el tabaquismo. Cada vez hay más edificios en los que se prohíbe fumar. Prevención: El ministerio de salud proyecta eliminar los sectores para fumadores en discotecas, cafés y otros espacios públicos de concentración masiva de personas. Página Siete: La Paz, Bolivia, 2011. Available online: http://www.paginasiete.bo/Generales/Imprimir.aspx?id=259445 (accessed on 3 July 2011).
[30]
El Diario. Implementarán mensajes para disminuir consumo de tabaco. El Diario: La Paz, Bolivia, 2011. Available online: http://www.eldiario.net/noticias/2011/2011_05/nt110531/4_02scd.php (accessed on 3 July 2011).
[31]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Evaluation Toolkit for Smoke-Free Policies Atlanta; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Atlanta, GA, USA, 2008.
[32]
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Handbooks of Cancer Prevention, Tobacco Control, Vol. 13: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Smoke-free Policies; IARC: Lyon, France, 2009.
[33]
Hyland, A.; Travers, M.J.; Dresler, C.; Higbee, C.; Cummings, K.M. A 32-country comparison of tobacco smoke derived particle levels in indoor public places. Tob. Control 2008, 17, 159–165, doi:10.1136/tc.2007.020479.
[34]
Schoj, V.; Sebrié, E.M.; Pizarro, M.E.; Hyland, A.; Travers, M.J. Informing effective smokefree policies in Argentina: Air quality monitoring study in 15 cities (2007–2009). Salud Publica Mex. 2010, 52, S157–S167, doi:10.1590/S0036-36342010000800011.
[35]
Avila-Tang, E.; Travers, M.J.; Navas-Acien, A. Promoting smoke-free environments in Latin America: A comparison of methods to assess secondhand smoke exposure. Salud Publica Mex. 2010, 52, S138–S148, doi:10.1590/S0036-36342010000800009.
[36]
Navas-Acien, A.; Peruga, A.; Breysse, P.; Zavaleta, A.; Blanco-Marquizo, A.; Pitarque, R.; Acu？a, M.; Jiménez-Reyes, K.; Colombo, V.L.; Gamarra, G.; et al. Secondhand tobacco smoke in public places in Latin America, 2002–2003. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 2004, 291, 2741–2745, doi:10.1001/jama.291.22.2741.
[37]
Blanco-Marquizo, A.; Goja, B.; Peruga, A.; Jones, M.R.; Yuan, J.; Samet, J.M.; Breysse, P.N.; Navas-Acien, A. Reduction of secondhand tobacco smoke in public places following national smoke-free legislation in Uruguay. Tob. Control 2010, 19, 231–234, doi:10.1136/tc.2009.034769.
[38]
Barnoya, J.; Arvizu, M.; Jones, M.R.; Hernandez, J.C.; Breysse, P.N.; Navas-Acien, A. Secondhand smoke exposure in bars and restaurants in Guatemala City: Before and after smoking ban evaluation. Cancer Causes Control 2011, 22, 151–156, doi:10.1007/s10552-010-9673-8.
[39]
Thrasher, J.F.; Besley, J.C.; Gonzalez, W. Perceived justice and popular support for public health laws: A case study around comprehensive smoke-free legislation in Mexico City. Soc. Sci. Med. 2010, 70, 787–793, doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.10.064.
[40]
Villalobos, V.; Ramirez, O.O.; Thrasher, J.F.; Santillan, E.A.; Hernandez, R.P.; Cedillo, C.; González, W. Social marketing and public policies for health: Campaign to promote smoke-free spaces in Mexico. Salud Publica Mex. 2010, 52, S129–S137. 21243183
[41]
Thrasher, J.F.; Huang, L.; Perez-Hernandez, R.; Niederdeppe, J.; Arillo-Santillan, E.; Alday, J. Evaluation of a social marketing campaign to support Mexico City’s comprehensive smoke-free law. Am. J. Public Health 2011, 101, 328–335, doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.189704.
[42]
Scollo, M.; Lal, A.; Hyland, A.; Glantz, S. Review of the quality of studies on the economic effects of smoke-free policies on the hospitality industry. Tob. Control 2003, 12, 13–20, doi:10.1136/tc.12.1.13.
[43]
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General; Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health: Rockville, MD, USA, 2006.
[44]
Lopez, C.M.; Ruiz, J.A.; Shigematsu, L.M.; Waters, H.R. The economic impact of Mexico City’s smoke-free law. Tob. Control 2011, 20, 273–278, doi:10.1136/tc.2010.036467.
[45]
Ferrante, D.; Linetzky, B.; Virgolini, M.; Schoj, V.; Apelberg, B. Reduction in hospital admissions for acute coronary syndrome after the successful implementation of 100% smoke-free legislation in Argentina: A comparison with partial smoking restrictions. Tob. Control 2011, doi:10.1136/tc.2010.042325.
[46]
Sebrié, E.M.; Sandoya, E.; Hyland, A.; Bianco, E.; Glantz, S.A.; Cummings, K.M. Hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction before and after implementation of a comprehensive smoke-free policy in Uruguay. Tob. Control 2012, doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050134.
[47]
Schoj, V.; Alderete, M.; Ruiz, E.; Hasdeu, S.; Linetzky, B.; Ferrante, D. The impact of a 100% smoke-free law on the health of hospitality workers from the city of Neuquén, Argentina. Tob. Control 2010, 19, 134–137, doi:10.1136/tc.2009.032862.
Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS): Fact Sheet Brazil 2009; WHO: Geneva, Switzerland, 2010.
[51]
The following is a partial list of organizations identified in the region conducting smokefree policy related research: Fundación InterAmericana del Corazón Argentina (FIC), Centro de Investigación para la Epidemia del Tabaquismo (CIET), Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública de México (INSP), Comunicación, Diálogo y Conciencia (CODICE), Comisión Nacional Permanente de Lucha Antitabáquica Perú (COLAT), Chile Libre de Tabaco, Libre del Tabaco Paraguay, Fundación Ecuatoriana de Salud Respiratoria (FESAR), Acción Internacional para la Salud Bolivia (AIS), Coalición Paname？a Contra el Tabaquismo (COPACET), Instituto Nacional de Cancer Brasil (INCA), Trinidad & Tobago Cancer Society (TTCS), Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ), Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados (HSFB), and Guyana Chest Society (GCS).
[52]
World Bank. Latin America & Caribbean: Data Profile. 2010. Available online: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/LACEXT/0,,contentMDK:22117191~pagePK:146736~piPK:146830~theSitePK:258554,00.html#map (accessed on 5 April 2010).
[53]
O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. Tobacco Industry Strategy in Latin American Courts. A Litigation Guide; Georgetown University Law Center: Washington, DC, USA, 2011.
