Although local non-smokers and persons with an aversion to second-hand smoke may be heartened by the recent enactment of strict regulations under Mexico’s General Law for Tobacco Control, they won’t want to holding their breath for an imminent crackdown.
Asked for his take on the national ban on smoking in most public places, Chapala Mayor Alejandro Aguirre declared he is no hurry to put municipal agents to work on enforcing the new rules.
For starters, the mayor says his government has not yet received official notification of its obligations regarding the new restrictions on smoking in areas of hotels, restaurants and bars where food and beverages are served, or in entertainment venues, shopping centers, public parks, and beach areas. Until federal authorities provide guidance, his administration will not be able to determine appropriate lines of action in conformance with a municipal government’s legal autonomy.
Furthermore, Aguirre stated that he thinks the restrictions are excessive and if enforced will ultimately have a negative impact on the local tourist trade and lakeside’s hospitality sector.
“These are matters of customs and freedoms. As long as we do not affect others, I do not see any problem,” he said in reference to smoking in open-air spaces.
Meanwhile, local shops and grocery stores are complying with the new rules to keep the racks of tobacco products they sell under cover and out of plain sight of their customers.