Today, April 19th, the Board of Directors of the National Health Surveillance Agency in Brazil (ANVISA) voted on a new resolution on electronic smoking devices. Unanimously, the ANVISA board decided to maintain the ban on the sale, manufacture, and advertising of ENDs in Brazil, including electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco, as well as accessories and refills intended for use in any of these products.

The previous resolution banning the sales of ENDs was adopted in 2009, and they decided to update it through a technical analysis of scientific evidence, public consultations, technical reports and others. It took 5 years of work to fully appreciate the topic, until the final decision.

The understanding therefore prevails that there is no scientific evidence that justifies allowing the sales, since those products are harmful to health, generate intense addiction, are highly attractive among young people and do not bring benefits to public health.

Brazil has been implementing many tobacco control policies and despite the strong pressure from the tobacco industry the country achieved significant reduction on tobacco prevalence.

Even with this decision from ANVISA, we probably will face new challenges at the National Congress since there are pending bills on the subject of ENDs. Anyway, all the ANVISA’s work, the evidence accumulated and the public support for the current decision are very important, as well as the engagement of governmental and non-governmental organizations on the debate.

For more information:

https://oglobo.globo.com/saude/noticia/2024/04/19/vape-especialistas-avaliam-decisao-da-anvisa-de-manter-cigarros-eletronicos-proibidos-no-brasil.ghtml

 

https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/equilibrioesaude/2024/04/presidente-da-anvisa-decide-manter-proibicao-de-cigarros-eletronicos-no-pais.shtml

https://www.instagram.com/p/C59NpkPvBqp/

Best,