Mexico bans smoking in public, one of world’s strictest anti-tobacco lawsMexico now bans smoking in hotels, beaches, parks and all other public spaces — one of the world’s strictest laws of its kind.The General Law for Tobacco Control reform, which took effect on Sunday, also prohibits businesses from promoting, advertising or sponsoring tobacco products, including putting them on display for sale.In Mexico, 10% of deaths — 63,000 per year — are attributable to use of tobacco and exposure to its smoke, according to the WHO’s Pan American Health Organization.“This amendment represents a historic step forward for Mexico in its anti-smoking policies and reaffirms its role as one of the leaders in the fight against tobacco in the world,” Dr. Cristian Morales Fuhrimann, PAHO’s representative in Mexico, said in a statement when the law was passed last month.Some called the law draconian, given that it basically relegates smoking to private homes, while others questioned whether it would be enforceable at all."