In Honduras, You Can Call the Cops if Your Dad Is Smoking

Honduras is contemplating implementing new anti-smoking legislation that allows family members to call the police to their home if members of the household are smoking. The Washington Times reports that the legislation is being put forward because of the affects of smoking on the Honduran health-care system.

For every dollar that the tobacco industry makes in Honduras, the state spends $10 to fight smoking-related diseases, according to the Health Department.

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The expense of health-care for smokers force Honduras to take action now in order to save millions, but is the legislation tenable in a country where 30 percent of the population smokes and where crime is rampant?

“Police won’t be able to enforce it because they can barely keep up with the crime wave that has been overwhelming us to be able to go after those who are smoking at home,” said Jose Martinez, a 38-year-old computer engineer who has smoked for 20 years.

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The anti-smoking law makes Honduras the 29th member state of WHO to adopt such a measure, but is made more confusing by allowing family members to call in home. In addition to measures that can now be taken at home, smoking is banned in public places and there is now a ban on advertising tobacco products.

Image: Smoke 4, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from amagill's photostream