Brazil: Americana Councilor Proposes Ban on Vaping in Public Places

Key Points

• Legislative move: The Americana city council is considering a ban on vaping in public and collective spaces.
• Regulatory backdrop: Since 2009, Brazil has prohibited the sale, importation, and advertising of e-cigarettes.
• Health concerns: Studies indicate e-cigarettes may cause cardiovascular disease, nicotine dependence, and lung injury.
• Enforcement rationale: Unregulated sales by roaming vendors at large events increase risks.
• Regional reference: The city of Limeira passed a similar ban in April 2025.

2Firsts, September 2, 2025 — According to Liberal, Wagner Rovina (Liberal Party, PL), a councilor in Americana, formally submitted a bill on September 1 to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes in all public places within the city. The bill will be reviewed and voted on over the coming council sessions.

Under the regulations of Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), the sale, importation, and advertising of e-cigarettes (including vapes, pods, and other DEFs) have been banned nationwide since 2009. Anvisa notes, however, that consumption has continued to rise in recent years, raising public-health concerns.

Rovina’s proposal specifies that the ban would apply to municipal public spaces such as squares, parks, recreational areas, schools, libraries, and sports venues, as well as privately owned venues open to the public, including restaurants, bars, cinemas, common areas of residential complexes, fast-food outlets, and cultural centers.

In the bill’s explanatory note, Rovina emphasizes that some large events in Americana have become primary points of sale for e-cigarettes by roving vendors operating without oversight or permits. He also highlights concerns about minors purchasing and using e-cigarettes, citing research that links vaping to increased risks of cardiovascular disease, nicotine dependence, lung injury, and respiratory illnesses.

Rovina further points to neighboring Limeira, which adopted similar legislation in April 2025, underscoring the issue’s significance for public health and local governance.