OPERATIONAL.-
The National Agency for Sanitary Regulation, Control and Surveillance (Arcsa), the General Intendency and the National Police carried out an inter-institutional operation, in which grocery stores and micromarkets were visited in the city of Riobamba.
Tatiana Lucio, coordinator of Zone 3, stressed that the articulated work has made it possible to achieve positive results during the different control operations that are carried out in the 10 cantons of the province. In the establishments visited, authorities carried out cigarette control, verifying that they comply with the Organic Law for the Regulation and Control of Tobacco, and Ministerial Agreement 00054-2022, whose main objective is to regulate and reduce tobacco consumption in the population . The coordinator reminded citizens that they can report any sanitary irregularity in products for human use and consumption, as well as establishments that distribute them, through the Arcsa Móvil application, available free of charge in the Play Store and Apple Store. According to studies, Chinese brands are consumed with greater frequency and quantity in various provinces of the country; They are sold illegally at an average of USD 1.5 dollars per pack of 20 cigarettes, while the legal ones at USD 5.77, “of which 70% on average are taxes.” (12)