It’s been four months since a ban on cigarette advertising and smoking in enclosed public spaces took effect in Chile. The World Health Organization says over 40 percent of Chileans smoke, the highest level of tobacco consumption in the Americas and Chile’s health minister Jaime Mañalich recently told The Economist that treating tobacco-related illnesses eats up a quarter of the nation’s $10 billion public health care budget. http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21574483-bastion-tobacco-addiction-introduces-ban-stubbed-out
The anti-tobacco campaign was not easy and Lezak Shallat, who headed the drive has this piece on the Berkeley Media Studies Group web site: http://www.bmsg.org/blog/how-I-learned-to-love-twitter-a-media-advocate-s-story-of-success-over-big-tobacco
Chile’s nicotine habit dates back more than two millenia, at least in the northern region, according to recent archeological discoveries near San Jose de Atacama: http://news.yahoo.com/chilean-mummies-reveal-ancient-nicotine-habit-125534752.html
Notes on the Americas 