Cigarette smoking

Smoking in Cape Verde

Smoking in Cape Verde is still a major public health problem, as tobacco is the second most consumed legal drug in the country, behind alcohol. Smoking is also one of the main risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases in Cape Verde. These facts have contributed to the recent updating of Cape Verde's tobacco laws. 

Rules for tobacco use in Cape Verde (Law no. 8/X/2022)

Tobacco use in Cape Verde is legal. However, some rules must be respected, especially regarding the places where smoking is prohibited.

1. É the use of tobacco products and devices prohibited electronic devices in all enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces and on public transport, in particular:

a) In places where sovereign bodies are installed, public administration services and bodies and public legal persons;

b) In establishments where health care, particularly hospitals, health regions, clinics, centers, posts and health police stations, doctors' surgeries, clinical laboratories, pharmacies and the like;

c) In places intended for children under eighteen, namely nurseries and kindergartens, homes children's and youth centers, leisure activities, colonies and camps vacations and the like;

d) In homes and other institutions housing people elderly, disabled or incapacitated;

e) In educational establishments, regardless of the age of the students and their level of education, and vocational training centers;

f) In museums, cultural centers, archives and in libraries, conference rooms and reading, meetings and exhibitions;

g) In cinemas, theaters, concert halls and venues and in other places intended for the dissemination of the arts and the show;

h) In night-time entertainment establishments, such as nightclubs, discos and the like;

i) In amusement venues, casinos, bingos, halls games rooms and other types of premises intended for non-artistic shows;

j) In the areas of sports facilities, stadiums, gyms and the like;

k) At fairs and exhibitions, provided that closed or semi-closed;

l) In commercial establishments selling to the public, closed or semi-closed establishments

where amusement machines and games are operated video games, billiards and Internet cafés;

m) In the common areas of hotels, residences and other tourist developments where accommodation services;

n) In restaurants, bars and other establishments catering or drinking establishments, whether closed or semi-enclosed, including those with rooms or dance spaces;

o) In the canteens, cafeterias and bars of entities public and private exclusively for their staff;

p) In service areas and filling stations fuel;

q) At airports and maritime stations;

r) In shelters and covered terminals for vehicles of public passenger transport and in parks covered parking spaces;

s) In elevators and similar and in common spaces of condominiums;

t) In the enclosures of automatic surveying networks of money;

 2. With the exception of (a), (b), (c), (e), (j), (p), (r), (s), (t), (u) and (v), spaces reserved for smokers may be created and duly marked.

3. Access to the spaces referred to in the previous paragraph is for people over 18. (…)

5. Smoking is prohibited within (3m) three meters of enclosed public and private spaces, as well as around the perimeter of semi-enclosed public and private spaces.

6. Smoking is prohibited in private vehicles carrying children under the age of eighteen. (…)

8. O The provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to the use of electronic devicesThe use of nicotine, with or without nicotine, the use of water pipes or hookahs, herbal smoking products, as well as the use of new smokeless tobacco products that produce aerosols, vapors, gases or inhalable particles.

9. É no smoking in Nature Parks.

The The penalty for violating the ban on smoking in designated places in Cape Verde is 3,000 escudos. (approximately 30 euros) to 5,000 escudos (approximately 50 euros).

Electronic cigarettes 

Smoking statistics in Cape Verde

Recent statistics on smoking in the country (II National Survey on Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases - IDNT II) reveal that:

• In Cape Verde, the prevalence of tobacco use among current adult tobacco users is 12.5%. This prevalence is higher in men (18.3%) than in women (6.5%).
• The age group with the highest prevalence of tobacco use is 60 to 69 years old, in both men (22.8%) and women (20.3%).
• The prevalence of tobacco use among current users increases with age from 30 onwards,
  in both the men's and women's groups.
• Nationally, the prevalence of tobacco use among daily users is 7.1%. In men, this prevalence is higher (10.3%) than in women (3.8%).
• The prevalence of smoking among daily users clearly seems to increase with age in both sexes, peaking in the 60-69 age group among both men (19.9%) and women (16.7%).
• In Cape Verde, 4.9% of the adult population smokes daily, 8.4% in men and 1.3% in women (Graph 2.2-4). In the 60 to 69 age group there is a higher prevalence of daily smokers, approximately 7.3%, with this prevalence being 12.3% in men and 3.6% in women.
• The prevalence of current smokers who do not smoke daily is 4.7%, which is higher in men (7.3%) than in women (1.9%).
• The average age of smoking among daily smokers is 18.9 years. For men the average age is 19.0 years and for women 18.4 years. 
• The average duration of smoking among current smokers is 21.6 years, 20.6 for men and 28.1 for women.
• The average duration of smoking seems to increase with age, with 7.7 years among smokers aged between 18 and 29 and 46.5 years among those aged between 60 and 69.
• In Cape Verde, the percentage of the population exposed to smoke at home in the last 30 days is 13.8%.

Conclusion

In summary, Cape Verde's tobacco laws prohibit smoking in enclosed public places, workplaces and on public transport. In addition, it is forbidden to sell and supply tobacco to minors, as well as to advertise tobacco. Tourists and visitors must respect these laws, contributing to the promotion of public health in the country.

References: 

• Law no. 8/X/2022, which defines the general regime for the prevention and control of smoking in Cape Verde. 
• II National Survey on Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases - IDNT II, 2020.