ACN
For the Minister of Health, Elena Salgado, who is visiting several centers for drug addicts in the southeast of Gran Canaria, the controversial Anti-Smoking Law that came into force on January 1 throughout Spain may function in the Canary Islands as a "tourist incentive", since she considers that the majority of visitors to the Islands come from countries where the norm is that smoking is not allowed in public spaces.
According to Salgado, "the existence of smoke-free spaces, far from becoming a source of harm, is an incentive with regard to tourism", recalling that smoking was prohibited in many hotels before the Law, since, she said, "many of our tourists come from countries where it is common not to smoke in public spaces".
Regarding the freedom that the Law gives to spaces of less than 100 meters to choose whether they want to be smoke-free spaces or not, she says she hopes that the "dynamic will advance over time in the right direction", which is none other than prohibiting tobacco consumption in these establishments.
In this sense, she described it as "significant" that many of these spaces, after deciding to be smoke-free, have asked the Ministry to reverse the situation due to the decrease in clients, something that she considers is due "to an evident lack of information". Thus, she said that "more information must be provided about these spaces", so that they are given more publicity and, above all, "talk about the damages of passive smokers".
On the other hand, regarding the 'price war' in which the tobacco industry has been involved after the tax increase imposed by the Ministry, and which has meant that prices in the Canary Islands are practically the same as in the rest of the national territory, the minister said that there are no plans to make any further adjustments to taxes.
She acknowledged that this increase "was not expected" by her Ministry, and that, nevertheless, "it is a business decision that demonstrates how cheap the raw material" of this industry is. That is why she joins the thesis of the economic vice president of the State, Pedro Solbes, that "it does not make much sense" for the Ministry to enter this price war.
Although she maintains that "some small effect" has had the tax increase on the price of cigarette packs, her Ministry, like that of Economy and Finance, does not plan to continue charging more taxes to the industry, despite recognizing that this policy pursues "that tobacco is less accessible" and that the expenses derived from nicotine addiction are financed, mainly in Social Security.
Drug
Accompanied by the vice president and Minister of Health of the Canary Islands Government, María del Mar Julios, as well as other personalities, the Minister visited the Therapeutic Community 'Fortaleza de Ansite' and the Yrichen Canarian Foundation, two centers dedicated to the treatment and labor reintegration of drug addicts, both winners of the Queen Sofía Award for the best social initiative.
In her visit to the Therapeutic Community Fortaleza de Ansite, the minister highlighted the important work of this organization, in which at least 30% of those admitted manage to 'get rid' of their drug addiction and reintegrate into society.
In this sense, Salgado assured that the Ministry is concerned about the new profile of the drug addict, since the risk is being "undervalued and associated with leisure", something that the Canarian councilor also pointed out. That is why the State plans to carry out a survey of 25,000 people that will allow a more accurate profile of the incidence of drug addiction in the Canary Islands.
Likewise, and although she recognized the important work of centers such as those she visited in Gran Canaria, she assured that "in Health all resources are always insufficient". However, she assured that these will be increased as much as possible and recalled that 80 percent of the funds seized for illicit drug trafficking are put at the service of plans against their consumption.
Thus, she maintained that the main line that her department will follow will be to "reduce the number of drug users", so she will place great emphasis on prevention.
