The Chamber of Deputies approved on Tuesday, December 9, a comprehensive
reform to the General Health Law that establishes an absolute ban on vaping
devices and electronic cigarettes in Mexico. The measure includes the
manufacture, sale, distribution, import, export, exchange, supply, and any form
of advertising of these devices.
The bill, submitted by Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum as part of
what she promotes as her public health agenda, was approved with 324 votes in
favor and 129 against, after a debate that lasted more than three hours in the
plenary session.
During the discussion, legislators in favor argued that
vaping devices represent significant health risks, especially among young
people, and justified the ban as a preventative strategy in response to
increased consumption. They pointed out that scientific evidence is still
insufficient to guarantee the safety of these devices and that current
regulations are inadequate to curb their spread.
For their part, the legislators who voted against the
measure warned that it could criminalize consumers, harm small businesses, and
stimulate the growth of the black market, since demand would not disappear with
the prohibition. They also criticized what they called an “improvised” and
“excessive” initiative, arguing that a regulatory model should have been chosen
instead of a prohibitionist one.
The reform must still go through the corresponding
legislative procedures before its enactment, with no changes expected. Mexico
will become one of the countries in the region with the most restrictive
legislation regarding alternative nicotine products.
