Tobacco’s Julius Caesar warning
In the Philippines, Cebu City’s district representative, Rodrigo Abellanosa, has filed a bill that seeks to ban the use and sale of cigarettes on the 15th of each month, according to a GMA story relayed by the TMA.
Under Abellanosa’s measure, non-compliant tobacco retailers would face a fine of 10,000 pesos ($212) for the first offense, 50,000 pesos ($1,060) for the second violation and a prison term of one month and one day to six months and a fine of 100,000 pesos ($2,120) for the third offense.
At the same time, an individual caught smoking would face a fine of 5,000 pesos (U$106) fine for the first offense, 25,000 pesos ($530) for the second violation, and imprisonment of one day to 30 days and a fine of 50,000 pesos ($1,060).
It wasn’t clear from the story summary whether the ban on smoking on the 15th of each month applied only to public places or whether it extended to private dwellings
Meanwhile Quezon representative Angeline Tan has filed a bill that would raise the minimum age to buy cigarettes from 18 to 21, presumably on all days of the month.