MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Buenos Aires City becomes 100% smoke-free in public places

The measure will force changes to a long established culture in coffee bars

The City of Buenos Aires put forth the steps to become 100% smoke-free, after amendments were made to the anti-tobacco laws, totally prohibiting the use of smoking areas in restaurants and bars in Argentina’s capital.

The City Government put forward the measure in a bid to ensure all closed public areas in the Capital are completely smoke-free.

The amendments were finalised late Thursday night, to the law that was voted in December 2010, bringing vast changes to Buenos Aires cafe culture, as those who smoke will now have to go outside.

Bars and restaurants that constructed special smoking areas within their premises as early as 2005 (when article 21 of law 1799 insisted tobacco controls must be put in place) will now be left slightly astray due to the new measures taken by the administration of Buenos Aires City.

According to official sources, most downtown bars and restaurants already closed these areas, since they put other customers and café/bar staff at risk of passive, after the anti-tobacco laws were passed last year.

However for those that hadn’t, now will be their time to do so in the latest move by the Buenos Aires City government to crackdown on smoking.