Holy Father Pope Francis has asked to ban the sales of cigarettes and tobacco inside the Vatican. The statement released by Greg Burke, director of the Holy See Press Office, stated that the Holy See cannot be cooperating with a practice that is clearly harming the health of people. Greg Burke acknowledged that the sale of cigarettes has been a source of revenue for the Holy See but he highlighted that no profit can be legitimate if it is costing people their lives.
As reported by en.radiovaticana.va, Citing the World Health Organization statistics that smoking causes more than seven million deaths worldwide every year, Greg Burke said cigarettes will not be sold at the Vatican as from the beginning of the next year.
The statement released also stated that the sale of large cigars would continue for the time being since the smoke is not inhaled.
