New law can prohibit smoking in São Paulo

A project of a new law against smoking in São Paulo's state was sent to the Legislative Assembly. The fines provided for establishments that permit smoking in the collective environments, both public and private, may reach R$ 3 million.
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The punishment is provided only for the establishment's owners. "There are no penalties for smokers because they already have been pained for smoking. There are people that is so flawed, that is able to pay the fine for smoking", said José Serra the governor this afternoon, during an event that highlighted the signing of the project followed to the Legislative Assembly and the launch of the campaign “Viva sem cigarro” (Life without cigarette).

The project's intention is: banning smoking in bars, restaurants, nightclubs, hotels and even the common areas of condominiums around the state. The proposal by the state government blocks the consumption of cigarettes, cigarettes, cigars or any other smoking product in the workplace, study, religious worship, leisure, sports and entertainment in places of plays, theaters, cinemas, inns, shopping centers, banks, supermarkets, butcheries, bakeries, pharmacies, drugstores, public offices, health institutions, schools, museums, libraries, spaces for exhibitions, public transport vehicles from, official cars and taxis.

According to the new regulation, the establishment needs to show warnings about the prohibition including telephones and addresses of the departments monitoring it. Establishment's owners will have to warn smokers about the ban. The idea is that anyone can report to the Health Surveillance.

If the person insists on smoking in prohibited environments, the owners can request that leave the place, even calling the police if necessary. "You can call the police, for example, if a smoker does not want to put out the cigarette and have to be removed from the establishment," said Serra. And will not be allowed any special place to smoke inside companies. "There is no place inside companies. smoke in the street, if you want," said the governor.

Exceptions
Some places are excluded from the project, such as religious temples where smoking is part of the ritual, some health care institutions where smoking is allowed for patients by doctors, public streets, homes and shops geared by consumption of these products, such as Tobacco's houses.

The governor said that the Assembly is expecting soon approving on the project's issue. But it can take whole semester.