In a country that derives a third of its nation’s export dollars from tobacco, the Cuban haze of old and its cigars of distinction are heading for extinction, or extinguishin’, as the case may be.
New anti-smoking laws imposed Monday are finally framing the fact that leader Fidel Castro, he of the two fingers and large cigar angled pointedly at the US, actually gave up the weed nearly twenty years ago.
Once a passionate fan of Cuba’s famous Havana cigars, President Castro snuffed out his last stogie in 1986 and officially took up anti-smoking campaigning.
The new laws are finally aimed at protecting Cuba’s non-smokers in a country where more than half of the adult population lights up.
The Domestic Commerce Ministry’s rules prohibit indoor smoking, including hospitals and schools, as well as taxis, trains, buses, theatres, meeting halls and other public places.
And it finally forbids the sale of cigarettes to minors under 16-years-old, and near to schools.
So ingrained is the smoking habit that government rationing cards, distributed to every Cuban for basic foodstuffs, give those born before 1955 four packs of cigarettes a month at a bargain seven US cents each. The regular price per pack is 26 US cents.
And pack of cigarettes released Monday reminded people of the ultimate message, reminding smokers the “we have the right to breath clean air.”
But long time smokers in this island nation, one of the world’s tobacco capitals, are fuming about the new rules.
“They can’t take this away from me. I’ll kill them,” says Graciela Gonzalez, 80, clutching a fat Havana.
“This is my life.”
