Brazil maintains ban on sale of heated tobacco and vaping products

On April 19, the board of directors of the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) voted unanimously to maintain the ban on the sale of heated tobacco products and vaping products, as well as accessories and refills intended for use with any of these products.[1].

The previous resolution banning the sale of vaping products was adopted in 2009, and Brazilian lawmakers decided to study its relevance by conducting an up-to-date study of scientific data and technical reports, and through public consultations.

Addictive products that bring no benefit to public health

The manufacture, sale, importation and advertising of vaping products have been banned in the country since 2009. Despite these bans, these products are easily found in convenience stores and on the Internet and consumption, particularly among young people, is increasing. According to a survey by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), a federal government agency that collects population data, 16.8% of adolescents aged 13 to 17 reported having tried vaping at least once in their life.

In 2022, Anvisa approved a technical report indicating the need to maintain the ban on these products and to adopt additional measures to curb irregular sales of e-cigarettes. In particular, it recommended increasing controls and disseminating information campaigns on the health effects of vaping. The issue of the ban was re-examined by the agency last week, following a public consultation that heard contributions from experts, manufacturers of vaping products and consumers. Anvisa has once again taken a position against the sale of electronic cigarettes and related accessories and based its decision on four main points.

The first justification is the increase in tobacco and nicotine use among young people in countries that have allowed vaping, such as the US and the UK. The second is the addictive potential of e-cigarettes – although manufacturers claim that e-cigarettes are less addictive, Anvisa has relied on recent research showing that e-cigarettes can contain up to 20 times more nicotine than manufactured cigarettes.

Anvisa also highlighted the lack of long-term studies on the effects of vaping on consumers' health, particularly on lung diseases. Finally, the agency mentioned the impact that authorizing vapes would have on Brazil's general tobacco control policies, which have been praised internationally.

Brazil is a good student in the fight against smoking

Banning smoking in public places, banning advertising, increasing taxes, etc. Brazil has taken strong legislative measures to protect the health of its citizens. It is an example to follow for emerging and developing countries. In July 2019, Brazil became the second country to fully implement all measures of the WHO treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, with the aim of reducing tobacco consumption and protecting the population from chronic noncommunicable diseases.

The country also stood out during the 10^e session of the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Panama last February (COP10). Brazil played a leading role in fully implementing Article 18 of the treaty, which is dedicated to protecting the environment from the damage caused by tobacco and its industry, supported by other countries in the region: Ecuador and Panama. Finally, the country distinguished itself by denouncing the intrinsic link between the protection of human rights and the fight against tobacco.

Keywords: Brazil, Latin America, vaping, electronic cigarette, heated tobacco, ban

©Tobacco Free Generation

AE