Uruguay cracks down on smoking

Government takes on tobacco companies in battle “worth millions in lost revenue”.

uruguay smoking

In Uruguay, a battle over a government crackdown on smoking is firing up.

The tobacco giant Philip Morris has sued the government for lost profits, claiming that anti-tobacco measures are hurting their bottom line.

Uruguayan law says graphic health warnings must cover 80 per cent of a cigarette pack, and companies can only market one type of cigarette, so as not to mislead smokers into thinking one is less harmful than another.

Therefore, for example the so-called “light” cigarettes will not be found.

Al Jazeera’s Teresa Bo has more from the capital, Montevideo.

Source: Al Jazeera