The government in Portugal has presented a new law against smoking. She wants smoking on covered terraces and public buildings such as schools and hospitals to be banned and the sale of tobacco products to be restricted.
The government hopes for a smoke-free generation by 2040. “We will start today to protect tomorrow’s adults,” said Health Minister Manuel Pizarro. The parliament, where the ruling Socialist Party has a majority, has yet to pass the law. It is not known when the bill will be debated.
The law states that from October 23 smoking is no longer allowed in front of public buildings such as schools, universities, hospitals, sports venues and catering establishments. In Portugal it is already forbidden to smoke in public indoor locations. The special smoking areas that are still allowed indoors may continue to exist until 2030. But after that, smoking is no longer allowed in these special areas.
Gas stations and catering
If the law is passed, from 2025, tobacco products may only be sold in stores with a special permit and at airports. This means that petrol stations and the catering industry will no longer be allowed to sell cigarettes in the long term. Cigarette vending machines will also disappear.
The measures are criticized by interest groups for restaurants and gas stations. They are concerned about loss of income. Some critics believe the government should raise the price of tobacco products, but Pizarro says that’s not a priority because price increases could lead to tobacco smuggling. A pack of cigarettes costs about 5 euros in Portugal, which is cheaper than in many other Western European countries.
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