As of today, smoking in all public places in Mexico is illegal. The new law is one of the most stringent anti-smoking laws in the world. Smoking is no longer allowed in parks, beaches, hotels, offices, and restaurants. There will also be a total ban on the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products, meaning that cigarettes cannot even be on shown inside shops.
Mexico is sending a strong message that basically says: Tourists who smoke are not welcome here.
According to the BBC: “Some smokers are dismayed at the draconian nature of the new law. In essence, it means that many will only be allowed to smoke in their homes or other private residences.
Others have raised questions about the practicalities of enforcing the law. With police corruption so rampant in Mexico, many fear that rather than issuing real fines or punishments for smoking in public, some officers will use it as a pretext for taking bribes.
The economic impact of the new law may have lasting effects on many tourist locations in Mexico, including Meixco City. A report from The Yucan Times reported: In a tour made by El Heraldo de México, owners of restaurants and terraces of the main commercial corridors of the capital rejected this measure, since they affirm: “We are barely recovering from the two years of the pandemic“.
“Customers are going to be upset, they are going to leave. It is a complete prohibition issue, I think the authorities should be sensitized because it will cause economic and employment losses.”
Smokers and their friends from around the world are very likely to avoid traveling to Mexico until laws are in place that respect eveyone’s rights. It is unfortunate that fervent anti-smoking politicians and organziations do not see a world where people can live in harmony with one another.
