In the Dominican Republic’s capital of Santo Domingo, public health authorities are ramping up coordinated efforts with regional and global health bodies to cement policies that guarantee fully smoke-free public spaces and cut population exposure to harmful emissions from both traditional tobacco products and modern electronic cigarettes. This initiative draws on technical guidance and support from the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) to turn policy goals into on-the-ground action.
A core component of this collaboration is a targeted technical assistance mission held between July 27 and 30, which brings PAHO/WHO experts directly to the country to support the rollout of protective measures. These measures are designed to uphold the fundamental public right to clean, breathable air and extend the reach of smoke-free zones across every region of the Dominican Republic.
To center youth engagement in the fight against tobacco harm, the Dominican Ministry of Public Health organized a high-profile national forum titled “No Filter: Youth, Tobacco and Reality”. The event created a collaborative space for youth advocacy organizations, domestic public agencies, and international public health partners to come together. Attendees discussed the well-documented health dangers linked to tobacco, nicotine, and vaping products, with the explicit goal of boosting public awareness and empowering young people to lead grassroots prevention efforts in their communities.
Speaking at the forum, Dominican Health Minister Víctor Atallah stressed that young people deserve a central, leading role in shaping the country’s public health policies. He also issued a stark warning: even as overwhelming scientific evidence mounts about the severe health harms of tobacco and new nicotine-based products, industry actors continue to target adolescents with aggressive, widespread marketing campaigns.
Public health officials have clarified the full scope of the 100% smoke-free policy: the rule applies to all enclosed public spaces, spanning primary and secondary schools, universities, medical and healthcare facilities, private and government offices, general workplaces, and all forms of public transportation. Crucially, officials emphasized that common workarounds such as segregated designated smoking areas or upgraded ventilation systems do not eliminate the health risks posed by secondhand tobacco smoke or electronic cigarette emissions, as residual toxins still circulate through shared air spaces.
The Ministry of Public Health points to peer-reviewed international evidence from across Latin America to back the policy. Data shows that after implementing comprehensive smoke-free laws, nations including Guatemala, Chile, and Uruguay have recorded measurable drops in heart attack cases, cardiovascular disease mortality, and youth tobacco uptake. Importantly, the research also confirms that these strict policies have little to no negative economic impact on the tourism and hospitality sectors, countering a common industry argument against smoke-free regulations.
Current local public health data puts the adult smoking rate in the Dominican Republic at roughly 10%. Among adolescents aged 13 to 15, an estimated 6 to 8% use either traditional tobacco cigarettes or electronic vaping products. On a global scale, the statistics underscore the urgency of this work: tobacco use is responsible for more than 8 million preventable deaths every year, with roughly 1.3 million of those deaths occurring among non-smokers exposed to harmful secondhand smoke.