Would you believe, we got behind the law even before it was ratified.
So, in principle, we didn’t have to stop smoking in public places, but we did because it is the right thing to do.
Over the past few years I wrote a number of times about laws that passed in Parliament but were never enacted.
One example would be our Civil Code, a book of 1,000 pages, at least, governing everything from mortgages to marriages, but the ratification was delayed, because of an itsy-bitsy piece of legislation regarding same sex marriage that was traded in for living together, that held up the whole process, because reportedly, we still have some old-fashioned folks living among us who should not be ‘offended.’
We are all waiting for the Civil Code to be published, it will modernize many aspects of our life on the island.
Basically, laws are passed by parliament, published, then they become enforceable.
Sometimes parliament passes a legal framework, and then the experts go to work to further define and clarify. In light of the fact that the government has set a goal to reduce the use of tobacco, prevent non-communicable diseases, and increase life expectancy, legal minds are now filling in the blanks regarding the Smoking Ban, where, when, how, and regarding the Sale of Tobacco, when, where, how.
They follow a World Health Organization’s model, under the MPOWER, acronym: Monitor, (use and policies), Protect (people), Offer (help), Warn (of dangers), Enforce (bans), Raise (related taxes).
So, prepare for an extensive publication specifying all restrictions, including advertising.
One of my lawyer friends, elaborates regarding the ratification of laws: According to him, some laws are passed, published, and enacted, but still the public doesn’t really give a damn, and bad behavior continues. We have many examples for that, including littering, nature destruction, illegal parking, illegal construction, and a million other things.
The State, as in the POLICE, cannot control and enforce every single aspect of civilized society, we must rely on the goodwill of citizens and their genuine desire to live in a law-abiding society, obeying the does and don’t.
Above all, stop smoking,
