World Vape Day: Time to Tackle 1 Million Unnecessary Annual Deaths in the Americas

São Paulo, May 30 – The Pan-American Harm Reduction Alliance (PAHRA) commemorates World Vape Day with an urgent appeal to policymakers across North, Central and South America: stop vilifying harm reduction and start saving lives.

Across the Americas, nearly 1 million people die annually from smoking-related diseases. Yet instead of embracing innovation, much of the region is doubling down on outdated, punitive policies. 

In Mexico, for example, a sweeping vape ban was implemented despite opposition from the medical community. In Brazil, vaping remains prohibited despite mounting evidence of its efficacy in smoking cessation.

Meanwhile, countries such as Canada and the U.S. are struggling with dual crises: high adult smoking rates and youth vaping panic. Prohibitionist responses – such as flavour bans and excessive regulation – have done more harm than good. Data from San Francisco shows that banning flavours pushed adults back to smoking and increased black market activity.

“Flavours are not a gimmick – they’re a gateway out of smoking,” says Dr. Delon Human, leader of the Pan American Harm Reduction Alliance. “By restricting them, we are pushing people back to the very product that kills.”

PAHRA calls for a region-wide adoption of a science-led approach, including:

• Preserving access to flavoured, regulated nicotine products for adults
• Enforcing age restrictions without demonising products
• Supporting education campaigns that emphasise switching – not abstinence – as a path to health

This World Vape Day, PAHRA stands with millions of smokers who deserve access to life-saving alternatives. Harm reduction is not a compromise – it’s a public health imperative.