Paraguay Bans Cigarettes, HNB and Vaping Devices in Public Places

According to foreign reports, the decree No. 4624 approved by the President of Paraguay on December 29 allows the use of cigarettes, heated non-combustible (HNB) products, or electronic cigarettes only in uncrowded outdoor public places, which are not transit areas for non-smokers.
 
Carissa F. Etienne, Director of the Pan-American Health Organization, stated in a press release: "This is a great achievement for the people of Paraguay. The country has taken a significant step towards protecting citizens from the harmful consequences of smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke on health, society, the environment, and the economy."

Following Paraguay's recent ban on public smoking, all South American countries have enacted comprehensive smoke-free laws.

Adriana Blanco, head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Secretariat, said: "This is not only a great moment for the health of Paraguayans but for the entire South American region. Paraguay's decree creates a completely smoke-free subregion in the Americas."

According to the Smoke-Free Kids campaign, approximately 430 million people are currently protected by laws requiring smoke-free public and workplace areas. These laws also prohibit designated smoking areas.

This progress is the result of years of efforts by political leaders and civil society groups in South America to fulfill the obligations set forth in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

When the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control came into effect over 15 years ago, only Uruguay in South America provided extensive protection against secondhand smoke for its citizens.