Local smoke-free policy development in Santa Fe, Argentina.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the process of approval and implementation of a comprehensive smoke-free law in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, between 2005 and 2009.


METHODS
Review of the Santa Fe smoke-free legislation, articles published in local newspapers and documentation on two lawsuits filed against the law, and interviews with key individuals in Santa Fe.


RESULTS
Efforts to implement smoke-free policies in Santa Fe began during the 1990s without success, and resumed in 2005 when the provincial Legislature approved the first 100% smoke-free subnational law in Argentina. There was no strong opposition during the discussions within the legislature. As in other parts of the world, pro-tobacco industry interests attempted to block the implementation of the law using well known strategies. These efforts included a controversy media campaign set up, the creation of a hospitality industry association and a virtual smokers' rights group, the introduction of a counterproposal seeking modification of the law, the challenge of the law in the Supreme Court, and the proposal of a weak national bill that would 'conflict' with the subnational law. Tobacco control advocates sought media attention as a strategy to protect the law.


CONCLUSIONS
Santa Fe is the first subnational jurisdiction in Latin America to have enacted a comprehensive smoke-free policy following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. After 3 years of implementation, pro-tobacco industry forces failed to undermine the law. Other subnational jurisdictions in Argentina, as well as in Mexico and Brazil are following the Santa Fe example.
Sebrié
Ernesto M
EM
Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York 14263, USA. ernesto.sebrie@roswellpark.org
Glantz
Stanton A
SA
D001118:Argentina; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019649:Food Industry / Q000639:trends; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007878:Legislation as Topic / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends*; D012907:Smoking / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D019460:Tobacco Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control*
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution