Regardless of its longstanding prohibition on e-cigarettes, Brazil is seeing a dramatic rise in vaping—proof that demand for safer options to smoking persists no matter authorized limitations. In line with the newest knowledge from IPEC, the variety of folks vaping in Brazil has surged by 600% since 2018. Slightly than eliminating the usage of nicotine options, the ban has merely pushed customers into the unregulated black market, creating further well being and security dangers.
On the similar time, Brazil’s smoking price continues to say no at a glacial tempo—simply 0.4 proportion factors per yr. At this price, it may take a long time to realize substantial reductions in smoking-related diseases and deaths. The disconnect between public well being objectives and present coverage is changing into extra obvious by the yr.
The unintended penalties of Brazil’s vaping ban spotlight a broader subject: prohibition doesn’t work. As a substitute of deterring use, it removes safeguards that might defend customers, help cessation, and speed up smoking decline. The Brazilian authorities has a alternative—proceed down a path that’s demonstrably ineffective, or undertake hurt discount methods which have labored elsewhere.
World proof in favour of regulation
Worldwide expertise reveals that international locations that regulate fairly than ban vaping and different safer nicotine merchandise see quicker and extra dramatic reductions in smoking charges. Sweden, for instance, permits the sale of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches underneath a regulated framework. Consequently, every day smoking prevalence has dropped beneath 6%, placing the nation on monitor to develop into the primary in Europe to succeed in “smoke-free” standing (outlined as ≤5% grownup smoking prevalence) by 2025.
A authorized and controlled vaping market may provide a number of essential benefits. For starters it might assure shopper safety, as llicit merchandise lack security requirements, correct labeling, and high quality management.
The UK affords one other compelling mannequin. By embracing vaping as a smoking cessation instrument and launching initiatives akin to public schooling campaigns primarily based on scientific proof, and the federal government’s “Swap to Cease” programme, the UK lowered its grownup smoking price from 15.1% in 2015 to 12.9% in 2022. Public Well being England’s famend conclusion that vaping is round 95% much less dangerous than smoking continues to information hurt discount methods within the UK and past.
Japan, which has regulated heated tobacco merchandise (HTPs) since 2014, has seen cigarette gross sales plummet by roughly 43% between 2015 and 2022—the quickest decline ever recorded within the nation. Equally, New Zealand’s risk-based method to tobacco management has led to traditionally low smoking charges, with grownup smoking dropping to simply 6.8% in 2023.
In distinction, Australia’s rising vape-related felony exercise underscores the unintended penalties of prohibition. Strict bans haven’t eradicated demand; as an alternative, they’ve fueled a thriving black market dominated by organized crime, unsafe merchandise, and 0 regulatory oversight. Illicit distribution networks now revenue from unregulated gadgets, undermining public well being and regulation enforcement efforts. This example ought to function a stark warning to different international locations contemplating prohibition: banning vaping doesn’t eradicate use—it merely transfers management to felony enterprises. A regulated market, with age restrictions and high quality requirements, protects customers much more successfully than blanket bans that foster unsafe, underground commerce and public well being dangers.
The case for embracing safer nicotine options
Brazil’s continued ban on e-cigarettes could also be hindering, fairly than serving to, its public well being ambitions. A authorized and controlled vaping market may provide a number of essential benefits. For starters it might assure shopper safety, as llicit merchandise lack security requirements, correct labeling, and high quality management. Regulation would enable well being authorities to set minimal security necessities and monitor compliance.
Well being Fairness could be one other benefit. In international locations the place vaping merchandise can be found, they’re usually considerably cheaper than conventional cigarettes. This offers low-income people who smoke a extra inexpensive solution to cut back hurt or stop altogether. Furthermore a regulated market can generate tax revenues that fund cessation applications, public well being schooling, and enforcement of age restrictions, as an alternative of enriching black market operators.
Scientific proof additionally helps the efficacy of vaping as a cessation instrument. Amongst many others, a 2021 peer-reviewed examine discovered that every day e-cigarette customers had been eight occasions extra more likely to stop smoking than these utilizing different nicotine-replacement therapies. Moreover, twin use—whereas not perfect—is usually a transitional part towards full smoking cessation.
Changing prohibition with coverage
Slightly than banning vaping outright, policymakers worldwide ought to contemplate adopting a regulatory framework primarily based on scientific proof and worldwide finest practices. This would come with implementing age restrictions to stop youth entry, regulating product high quality and labeling, allowing flavour selection for adults whereas proscribing advertising and marketing to minors in addition to utilizing taxation correctly to steadiness affordability for people who smoke and discourage non-smokers.
By persevering with its ban, Brazil not solely misses an important alternative to scale back smoking extra shortly, but in addition leaves tens of millions of nicotine customers uncovered to unsafe, unregulated merchandise. It’s time for Brazilian policymakers to place well being first, observe the information, and embrace tobacco hurt discount via wise, science-based regulation.
Whereas South America Leans In the direction of Prohibition, Educated Latinos Embrace THR
