Brazilian Health Minister Reaffirms Opposition to E-Cigarette Legalization, Supports Total Sales Ban

Main Points:

1.Brazilian Health Minister Alexandre Padilha has clearly opposed the legalization of e-cigarettes and supports the ban imposed by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa).

2.New data indicates that Brazil has significantly lower e-cigarette usage compared to other countries, showcasing the effectiveness of Anvisa's policies.

3.The lack of regulation on e-cigarettes may lead to future generations falling into the tobacco industry trap, increasing the rate of tobacco use among young people.

According to the Brazilian media outlet Jota, on May 28th, Brazilian Health Minister Alexandre Padilha made it clear at a No Smoking Day event in Brasilia that he is against the sale of e-cigarettes and similar devices.

The minister emphasized support for the effectiveness of Resolution No. 46/2009 of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), which prohibits the commercial activities of e-cigarettes (vapes). Anvisa strengthened the ban on the market sale, import, and promotion of electronic devices through RDC 855/2024 in 2024.

Roberto Gil, director of the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (Inca), pointed out that despite an increase in the use of traditional cigarettes, overall, the frequency of e-cigarette use in Brazil is much lower compared to countries where they are already sold openly, indicating that Anvisa's decision was correct.

From 2022 to 2024, the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy provided by Brazil's Public Health System (SUS) increased by 96.4%, while the number of users participating in group activities and home visits also significantly increased, indicating the effectiveness of public health policies.

According to Inca research, for every 1 yuan of profit earned, the federal government needs to spend 5 yuan to address smoking-related diseases. The study shows that in 2019, every 0.156 billion reais in tobacco sales profit is equivalent to one death caused by smoking-related illness.

Epidemiologist André Szklo of Inca urges that it is crucial to assess the societal costs of tobacco product marketing in order to pursue industry accountability and compensation. He points out that the tobacco industry may use some of its profits to promote youth smoking in order to offset the loss of users due to illness or death.