Legislation and Tobacco Control in Brazil Between the Late 20th and Early 21st Centuries

Abstract

Introduction: This article deals with the process of emergence and consolidation of the anti-smoking policy in Brazil, discussing the development of the Brazilian legislation in this field between the 1960s and the early 21st century. Objectives: To discuss the first legislative regulations to standardize marketing and advertising of cigarettes brought into discussion in Congress in the 1960s; to evaluate the consequence of tobacco control actions in public health as well as laws and campaigns for the control and marketing of smoking products, introduced during the country’s re-democratization process in the 1990s. Method: This study was based on the analysis of legislation and secondary sources on the development of tobacco control actions in the country. Results: In the period studied, there is intense strengthening of legislation on tobacco control in the country. Conclusion: While actions against tobacco were being developed, a strong framework of knowledge and an extensive practice in the field of tobacco control was built. This aspect, together with data on tobacco use and lung cancer incidence, suggests that tobacco control measures implemented in the country are successful.