Brazil Economic Committee Promotes E-cigarette Production and Commercialization

According to Brazilian media Poder360, the project regarding the regulation of e-cigarette production, sales, and promotion is one of the 8 topics being reviewed by the Economic Affairs Committee (Comissão de Assuntos Econômicos). It is reported that the project will be discussed at a meeting scheduled for Tuesday morning at 10 am.

Senator Soraya Thronicke submitted Bill PL 5.008/2023 in 2023, which proposes allowing the production, import, export, sale, and use of e-cigarette devices nationwide. Currently, tobacco products in Brazil are regulated by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), which passed Resolution 46 in 2009 banning the sale, import, and advertising of these products.

The proposal defines e-cigarettes, nicotine management systems, and other similar products. In addition, the proposal requires products to be registered with Anvisa, the Federal Revenue Authority, and the National Institute of Metrology, Quality, and Technology (Inmetro), among other conditions for manufacturing, importing, exporting, and selling products. It also specifies safety requirements for e-cigarettes, including electrical charging and battery specifications.

The proposal also stipulates that registration applications submitted to Anvisa must include a toxicological assessment report for e-cigarettes. Anvisa will evaluate information on additives and materials used in the devices, as well as compare the toxicity of e-cigarettes to traditional cigarettes, conducting a detailed study to determine if the potential health risks of e-cigarettes are lower than those of traditional cigarettes.

In addition, e-cigarette devices for wireless communication must also be registered with the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel). In this case, the agency must also establish appropriate regulations regarding the safety and reliability of e-cigarettes, such as the use of Bluetooth or other similar wireless technologies.

According to Soronick, despite Brazil banning the sale of e-cigarettes since 2009, e-cigarettes have become a reality. The National Health Survey of 2019 shows that 16.8% of adolescents aged 13 and above have tried e-cigarettes, with users aged between 15 and 24 making up 70% of the users.

At present, the report for the proposal has not been submitted.