New smoking laws in Mexico?

[michaelllyons]

I'm going on a cruise to costa maya and cozemel. Would like to know the current situation of the smoking ban? I am a smoker and would not want to get off at the port long if I cannot have a cigarrette anywhere. Thank you.

[CruiserBruce]

If you look down the board about 6 threads, there is a thread about smoking. 

 

I don't believe you can't smoke "anywhere". That would be stricter than the US. Ain't happening. 

[Hlitner]

I have posted (elsewhere) about the new (Jan 2023) Federal Smoking law here in Mexico (we are now living in Puerto Vallarta).  The law is tough, but enforcement is still lax in many places.  The law does NOT PROHIBIT smoking anywhere, but it does restrict the places.  It bans smoking in any establishment that serves food/drink.  Restaurants and bars can have smoking areas, but they must be designated, not anywhere near food, must be outdoors, and there is to be no service on those smoking areas.  The new law also bans smoking on all public beaches which means all beaches since Mexican beaches are all technically public.  That is going to be difficult/impossible to enforce.  Here in Puerto Vallarta, there has yet to be enforcement on beaches, but we have had relatively strict no-smoking rules, for years, in restaurants.  

 

Some think the new law will put a lot of pressure on restaurant/bar owners for them to fully enforce the rules.  It is more likely that they would get fined, than a tourist,  The new law also applies to the sale of smoking products and bans their display (I guess everything will be done under the counter).  It will be interesing to see what happens on beaches where restaurants/hotels/cafes rent or give loungers/chairs.  Technically, there should be no smoking in those areas and one wonders how it will be enforced.  But I assume that if/when the restaurants get hit with stiff fines, they will pay more attention to the new law.

 

It is going to be very interesting to see how this all works in the next couple of years.  No question that the anti-smoking sentiment in Mexico is very strong.  Some Condos have even banned balcony smoking and others have routinely had the issue under consideration.  

 

Hank