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Mexico’s Senate has approved new laws that could result in prison sentences of up to eight years and fines reaching 226,000 pesos ($12,500) for manufacturing or selling vapes and electronic cigarettes. These stricter enforcement measures are seen by critics as overly harsh.
The amendments to the General Health Law, approved late Wednesday by pro-government senators after passing the lower chamber on Tuesday, now await the president’s signature. President Claudia Sheinbaum supports the legislation.
Sheinbaum stated, “Many believe that switching from tobacco cigarettes to vapes is safe, but in reality, some vapes can be even more harmful than cigarettes. Both should be avoided.”
Mexico, which banned smoking in most public areas approximately twenty years ago as part of its anti-tobacco efforts, has lately shifted focus toward restricting vape sales. Similar bans are in place in Argentina and Brazil due to health concerns.
However, the use of vapes remains legal in Mexico.
The government is collaborating with state authorities to combat illegal markets, particularly because of worries about organized crime involvement. Sheinbaum did not specify when the new regulations will take effect.
Opposition senator Luis Colosio criticized the reforms, labeling them as excessively prohibitive. During Thursday’s debate, he argued the government is avoiding its regulatory responsibilities by opting for outright bans instead of industry oversight.
“Prohibition is an easy fix for problems they either don’t want to or can’t control,” Colosio commented.
Despite the new laws, vapes and e-cigarettes are still widely available in Mexico City stores, and authorities have yet to address street vendors.
Valentina, a local resident, told Milenio TV, “It would be better if they banned them altogether because I keep buying them, and truthfully, they’re very affordable everywhere.”
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