Brasília - Today is Anti-Smoking Day (Dia Nacional de Combate ao Fumo) in Brazil. A series of events will bring together specialists in medicine, NGOs and government and civil society representatives around the country. One of the biggest anti-smoking events will be in the city of São Paulo, with the focus on citizenship and health. This year the campaign will target so-called passive smoking and occupational exposure. Special attention will be paid to workers in shopping centers, bars and restaurants where smoking is now prohibited by law.

It is estimated that 200,000 people die annually in Brazil of diseases related to smoking.

Translator: Allen Bennett