Acta Médica Costarricense versão ISSN 0001-6012 Acta méd.
costarric vol.54 no.1 San José jan./mar. 2012 Economía del
Tabaco M. Cecilia Monge Bonilla, MPH Servicio de Medicina
Interna 4, San Juan de Dios Hospital Abbreviations: CCSS, Caja
Costarricense de Seguro Social; WHO, World Health Organization
Sound medical evidence testifies that tobacco use and inhaling
"secondhand" smoke from cigarettes raises the risk of morbidity,
mortality and disability. Tobacco use is a major worldwide
public health issue. Many countries still hesitate to act
decisively to reduce tobacco, because they are concerned that
the harm caused by tobacco may be offset by the economic
benefits that the country derives from tobacco. The production,
export and import of tobacco and tobacco products make up an
insignificant part of Costa Rica's economy. The concern that
tobacco controls will cause permanent job losses in an economy
is not the case in most countries. Falling demand for tobacco
does not mean a fall in a country's total employ