Costa Rica is considering banning electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco

Ada Acuña, a member of the ruling majority party in Costa Rica, submitted a bill on November 18, 2025, aimed at completely banning vaping devices, with or without nicotine, and heated tobacco products in the country.[1]. Several countries in the region have already banned electronic cigarettes.

A bill against vaping products and heated tobacco

Registered under number 25.309, this proposal provides for the prohibition of the importation, sale, use, manufacture, distribution, storage, advertising and transport of electronic cigarettes and similar devices without nicotine.

Heated tobacco products, often confused with e-cigarettes despite being distinct products containing tobacco, are also included in the ban. Similarly, all components of these devices would fall under the scope of the prohibition: liquids, batteries, cartridges, and accessories.

The text also stipulates that the Ministry of Health establish an official list of prohibited substances linked to these products in order to prevent potential circumvention. The MP believes that the law adopted in 2021 to regulate these devices has failed to curb their spread, particularly among minors, as sales without age verification have taken place via delivery services.

Health and economic concerns are at the heart of the law.

The proposal highlights the health risks associated with vaping, such as burns, chronic lung disease, cardiovascular problems, eye injuries, and damage to various organs. The MP also emphasizes the role of sweet and fruity flavors, of which there are thousands of varieties, and the modern, reassuring design of the products and their packaging, which are highly appealing to teenagers.

It reports 25 cases of poisoning recorded by the Ministry of Health this year, mainly among young people aged 10 to 17. In 2023, a 16-year-old spent 29 days in intensive care due to a vaping-related lung condition.

The bill provides for the repeal of the current law No. 10.066 which subjects these products to a tax of 20 %, the proceeds of which are intended for the public social security system to finance treatments related to diseases caused by tobacco.

However, according to the authorities, this tax has not actually been collected for more than a year, so losses related to tobacco and nicotine are much higher than revenues.

A regional and international banning movement

Costa Rica had previously implemented partial regulations, notably by banning products containing synthetic nicotine or cannabinoids in 2024. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) had then called for stronger control policies.

Attorney Larry Hans Arroyo warned that a total ban on these products without rigorous enforcement could create a black market, potentially more dangerous. The National Anti-Tobacco Network shared this view, stating that insufficient customs and police controls could allow organized crime to fill the void with toxic and substandard products. Jeancarlo Córdoba, a public health specialist with the network, added that the current law has only been fully in effect for less than a year, deeming it premature to call it ineffective and advocating for stricter regulations rather than their abolition. The tobacco and nicotine industry often uses this same rhetoric to promote a "harm reduction" approach and prevent strict and ambitious regulations.

On the contrary, proponents of the ban argue that it prioritizes the health of children and adolescents over the interests of the industry, given that Costa Rica committed to defending public health from industry interference by ratifying the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) on August 21, 2008. If the bill is passed, it would align Costa Rica with its neighbors like Panama and Nicaragua in a prevention strategy.

The proposed law, which originated from an individual parliamentary initiative, must now be placed on the agenda by the executive branch to be debated in an extraordinary session of Parliament.

Ten Latin American countries have already adopted a total ban on electronic cigarettes – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Worldwide, a total of 46 countries currently ban the sale and distribution of electronic cigarettes.[2].

©Generation Without Tobacco

AD

[1]Tico Times, Costa Rica Eyes Complete Vape Ban to Combat Rising Teen Use and Risks, Published on December 2, 2025, accessed on December 3, 2025

[2]Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, E-CIGARETTE BAN & REGULATION: Global Status as of May 2025, Accessed December 3, 2025

National Committee Against Smoking |