Jorge Carbajal Diaz, president of the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (CANIRAC), Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit, and Costa Alegre, reported that at least 12 restaurants have already applied for protection against the Anti-Tobacco Law.
Carbajal said, “There are only a few. Not all have been adhering to this. However, we have already heard of the consequences, from the infractions, the warnings. Everything turns out to be 100% the responsibility of the establishment, so we must to be free of smoke, free of tobacco indoors, and we are susceptible to a diner at any given time not wanting to pay attention to this law.”
He indicated that using force against diners for not abiding by the law not to smoke leaves them at a disadvantage as a business and image. They lose customers, and the problem is exaggerated due to them not removing smokers. It is what the establishment has to do, all to protect itself, and thus avoid infringements.
Carbajal continued, “They have not made any comments to us. We have heard that there have been visits to some convenience stores, but the visits have been friendly to observe whether the regulations of this law are being complied with, and not for the purpose of conducting compliance surveys.”
At the national level, there is a position against the Regulation of the General Law for the Control of Tobacco modifications, which practically prohibits smoking in any public space. Therefore, CANIRAC has promoted the use of its resources to restaurants throughout the country to provide assistance.