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AMERICAS: CHILE
Changes in the Tobacco Law favour cigarette advertising in Chile
Author: Loreto Bresky, Albagli, Zaliasnik & Cia.
On December 21st 2005, the Health Commission of the House of Representatives made a substantial change to the bill regulating the sale and advertising of tobacco in Chile. According to this new project, the sale of cigarettes outside of schools might be permitted, as would advertising of cigarettes geared towards those older than 18 years of age.
These changes have generated a strong dispute due to the possibility that tobacco companies might start lobbying to pare down the bill, given that the prior version prohibited tobacco advertising except at indoor points of sale, as well as outlawed the sale of cigarettes within 100 meters of a schools’ entrance doors.
The new bill, which will be voted by the Chilean House of Representatives at the end of January 2006, also sets forth that the warning message on the cigarettes boxes must be “clear and precise” regarding the damages, illnesses or effects of the tobacco based upon scientific knowledge. Regarding the warning notice, this must appear on both main sides of the boxes and cover at least 50% of each of them.
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