The Director of the Holy See Press Office announced on November 9, 2017, that the Vatican City State is ending the sale of cigarettes.: “No profit can be legitimate if it is costing people their lives.”
“Pope Francis,” explained Greg Burke, “has decided that the Vatican will cease to sell cigarettes to employees as of 2018”.
The director of the Press Office explained the reasons for this decision: “The Holy See cannot be cooperating with a practice that is clearly harming the health of people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), smoking causes more than seven million deaths worldwide every year.”
In 2002, the smallest State in the world promulgated a law banning smoking in public places and workplaces; however, cigarettes continued to be sold at almost half the price for which they were sold elsewhere in the Italian republic. Only the 4,000 Vatican City employees were allowed to buy cigarettes at the State store, the Annona.
No matter the loss of profit that will result from the Holy Father’s decision: “Although the sale of cigarettes has been a source of revenue for the Holy See, no profit can be legitimate if it is costing people their lives,” concluded Greg Burke.
With this decision, the Vatican is adopting the hygienism being promoted by world government organizations. Should we also expect them to forbid alcohol because it harms the digestive and cardio-vascular systems, butter and fatty foods because they are a source of cholesterol, and red meat because it can cause colorectal cancer? It might also be wise to forbid selling cars and motorcycles, because, according to the WHO, road accidents cause 1.25 million deaths every year.
