Brazil to Review Vape Sales Ban Again

According to a report by Global Times on April 19, the Board of Directors of the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) will hold a meeting to discuss whether to maintain the ban on the sale of e-cigarettes in Brazil.

Since 2009, the Brazilian health regulatory agency has issued a resolution prohibiting the importation, sale, and advertisement of e-cigarette products. However, despite this, e-cigarettes are still easily found in popular stores or online, with sales remaining high. This is especially concerning as the consumption among young people continues to increase, posing serious health consequences.

In the process of reviewing current standards, the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency conducted a public consultation, which revealed that the majority of healthcare professionals expressed their opposition to the standard being implemented in Brazil. Considering the total number of participants, almost 59% of people indicated they support changing the current regulations. While the public consultation is not mandatory, the agency still decided to review the impact of the rule, taking into account recent research on e-cigarettes.

A heated debate has erupted on social media regarding whether to maintain the ban on the sale of e-cigarettes, against the backdrop of the tobacco industry supporting liberalization. During the consultation period, the industry launched the "I choose" campaign, posting paid articles on social media to encourage people to participate in the discussion and highlighting e-cigarettes as a "potentially less toxic alternative to cigarettes." The main argument of e-cigarette advocates is that unlike regular cigarettes that contain tobacco and release carcinogenic carbon monoxide, e-cigarettes vaporize and thus pose less harm. However, experts say the reality is different. E-cigarettes contain over two thousand substances, some of which are toxic and carcinogenic.

The Brazilian Tobacco Industry Association (Abifumo) believes that the current ban is not effective as products are still circulating. "We emphasize the urgency of regulation to establish clear and strict rules for marketing, prevent consumption by minors under 18, who should not have access to these products under any circumstances; in addition, the correct information about e-cigarettes should be provided to the public," he said in a statement issued after the public consultation results.