Reducing tobacco consumption remains a pending issue in Puerto Vallarta.
Puerto Vallarta is Mexico's most important tourist destination, and as such, it is also the center of hedonism that promotes many pleasures because in some way, relaxation and contemplation are combined with joy, celebration, and pleasures to build the best vacation spot. However, the price for resisting the vice and temporary excess of some tourists has fueled consumption among locals, which according to statistics, continues to grow.
In Mexico, 118 people die every day from smoking-related causes, totaling 43,246 deaths per year that could be prevented. Tobacco consumption causes 16,408 cases of cancer and 94,033 heart attacks and hospitalizations due to heart disease, according to research by the National Institute of Public Health.
Puerto Vallarta still maintains a very high rate of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which claimed the lives of 56 people last year, with 198 new cases reported. In other words, people continue to consume tobacco, and it is a serious public health issue. According to the National Office for Tobacco Control of the National Commission for Mental Health and Addictions (CONASAMA), between 2009 and 2023, the number of smokers receiving counseling from health professionals to quit smoking increased from 17.3 percent to 42.3 percent.
Following control measures by the Federal Congress, which banned smoking in restaurants and enclosed spaces, in 2022, some restaurants in Puerto Vallarta filed for injunctions due to alleged loss of profits. However, most restaurants have transformed their operations to support the fight against tobacco consumption in Puerto Vallarta.