Uruguay smoking ban toughest in Latin America

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (Reuters) - Uruguay imposed a ban on smoking in public spaces on Wednesday, the stiffest restrictions on smoking in Latin America.

President Tabare Vazquez, a practicing oncologist, was the impetus behind the government-decreed measure, which is among the world's toughest and is similar to bans already in place in Ireland, Sweden, Norway and Spain.

The ban prohibits smoking in all enclosed public places, from bars and restaurants to office buildings and shopping malls. The government says smoking causes 5,500 tobacco-related deaths a year. About 1 million of Uruguay's 3.2 million people smokes.

Workers spilled out on the streets during their lunch hour on Wednesday, many puffing away on local Nevada brand cigarettes and lamenting the new regulations in this tiny South American nation.

"I have to order someone to do something he doesn't want to do (put out his cigarette) and then convince him to stay in my bar. This gives us a role we never sought to have," said Roberto Requejo, manager of the Pony Pisador bar.

But if Requejo doesn't enforce the law, his establishment faces a fine of about $1,000. And if inspectors catch people smoking in the bar again, the penalty doubles.

That leaves smoking Uruguayans safe to light up only at home or on the streets. Many people used to smoking at their desks will now have to ask for the boss's permission to slip outside.

"At my job, they will let us go out for 10 minutes a day to smoke. I'll see if I can bear this or if I need more time," said Pablo Urruty, a 32-year-old systems engineer who has smoked for 15 years. "Maybe this is a good time to quit."

Some companies have even offered to pay for courses so their employees kick the habit.

Cuba imposed a smoking ban in most public places last year, but the measure has not been seriously enforced on the island famed for its fine cigars.

In Buenos Aires, across the River Plate from Uruguay, the first phase of an anti-smoking law also took effect on Wednesday, barring people from smoking in municipal government buildings.

The measure will expand later to the city's restaurants, bars and shopping centers and will include bans on cigarette advertising in public spaces.