Despite their best intention to prohibit smoking everywhere, Health authorities cannot stop smoking in public spaces like the Boulevards (pedestrian walkways) and other “pubilc roads”.
Health Minister, Sissy Castillo, confirmed that public roads – the boulevards of Avenida Central, Avenida 4 and Calle 4, for example – are public roads convered to pedestrain walkways and thus out of reach of the mosking ban, like in parks and other open public open spaces.
The boulevards in places like Avenida Escazú and Multiplaza or the pathways of the Sabana Park are not public roads and as such smoking is prohibited.
However, Castillo was quick to add that this rule (public road) does not allow restaurants and bars fronting on the boulevards to create smoking areas. The area of the restaurant does not include the street and as such are subject to the Ley General de Control del Tabaco.
The Health Ministry – more than a year after the anti-tobacco law went into effect – has begin training for Fuerza Publica (police) officers and officers of the Municipal Police to apply the anti-tobacco law rigorously.
