Daily News  

Multiplaza prohibits smoking in their malls

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For the family of Jairo Calvo, visiting Multiplaza del Este in Zapote and going to the restaurant area without having to breathe smoke cigars is one of the best things it could happen in a shopping mall.

Together with his wife, Emilia Montoya, and their newborn baby, he applauded the measure of the Grupo el Roble of the smoking ban in its malls, including the one he visited last Tuesday.

The measure has been in force since three weeks ago in the malls of the East and of the west.

According to Alicia Rojas, of the Grupo el Roble, "rather than a ban, Multiplaza decided to make an awareness campaign on the issue of smoking in public places like ours.”

“Everything has to do with values: respect and consideration for the vast majority of people that do not smoke. Thousands of people die as a result of diseases caused by smoking, we felt this was an good opportunity to think about this important issue and choose these places where you can breathe clean air, free from cigarette smoke, "said the official.

Annually, Rojas said, two million children visit their shopping malls. "We are doing it for that whole large number of families who visit our malls, so that these two million children that are in our malls have a healthy and pleasant visit" said.

These measures are also part of a plan developed in conjunction with the Institute for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (IAFA), with employees of Multiplaza and with the owners of the business premises

The Minister of Health, Maria Luisa Avila Agüero, applauded the decision and argued that it should be taken as an example by other shopping malls.

The Framework Convention Control Snuff, with mandatory measures such as those taken voluntarily by Multiplaza, is awaiting ratification in the Assembly since March 2003.