A Few More Breaths

The Mexican Senate pre-approved reforms to the Health and Tobacco Control Laws, which may result in a federal prohibition to smoke in public and closed areas. The new legislation calls for 100 percent smoke free areas in restaurants and cafeterias and establishes a new basis for the production, packing, labeling, marketing, distribution, and retailing of tobacco products.

As expected, large enterprises like Vips (the largest chain restaurant in Mexico) and El Palacio de Hierro (an elite department store) have already filed a petition to the Supreme Court to protect their commercial interests against the ban.

The government will present the reform next Thursday for a final vote. We'll see.