Brazil’s Senate to Vote on Vaping Regulation Bill

The vote on the vaping bill has been postponed again due to a lack of consensus among legislators, with a new voting date set for September 3rd.

In September, the Senate’s Economic Committee will vote on a bill that could legalize e-cigarettes in Brazil. However, the vote has been repeatedly postponed due to a need for better consensus among legislators.

The bill was proposed by Senator Soraya Thronicke and was initially scheduled to be discussed on July 9. However, at the request of Senator Mecias de Jesus, the agenda was again postponed to 20th August to provide more time for discussion on the subject.

Nearly 15 years have passed since the Brazilian National Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) unanimously approved the ban on e-cigarettes that has been in place since 2009. A report from the agency indicated that the nicotine content in e-cigarettes may be up to 20 times higher than traditional cigarettes.

Although the current law does not restrict personal use or possession of vaping devices, Brazil’s national health regulatory agency, Anvisa, decided on July 6, 2022, to maintain its ban on importing, advertising, and selling electronic cigarettes.

Smoking is Brazil’s greatest cause of unnecessary death and disease, taking 150,177 lives every year. E-cigarettes, on the other hand, have been found to help more smokers quit than any medical intervention when both products are accompanied by behavioral support.