Tobacco Law In Honduras In Force Since February 2011

International Business Development at CENTRAL LAW (Honduras)

The comprehensive Tobacco Control Law is effective in Honduras since February 21st 2011. This law is based on the framework convention for tobacco control of the World Health Organization which the country ratified in 2004 with other 171 nations.

In Latin America, Honduras joins Peru, Colombia, Uruguay, Panama, Mexico, Guatemala, Buenos Aires, nine Argentinean provinces, and seven Brazilian states in having strong smoke-free laws and policies. Honduras also has one of the strongest policies on pictorial warning labels in the region, along with Uruguay.

The law aims to reduce and gradually eliminate the tobacco consume in order to grant people's health right especially to women and children which are more exposed to the risks derived from the tobacco -active or passive- consume.

The new legislation 's objective is to regulate the production, distribution, trade, import, consume, publicity, promotion and sponsorship related to tobacco products.

It specifically prohibits smoking in public or private closed places. Offenders are subject to fines: to the smoker (an equivalent fine to a daily payment of a minimum salary. This is almost US$300 per day) ; to the owner of a store ( an equivalent fine to a...