Mexico City Congress bans vapers and e-cigarettes

MEXICO CITY (apro) .- The full Congress of Mexico City approved the initiative to reform various provisions of the Political Constitution and the Law of Mexico City regarding electronic cigarettes and vaping devices, prohibiting the sale, production, distribution, and marketing of these devices.

With the approved opinion, which was presented by the Joint Committees on Constitutional Points and Citizen and Health Initiatives, a numeral 8 is added to section D "Right to Health" of article 9 "Solidarity City", as well as a second paragraph to numeral 3 of section B "Right to Work" of article 10 "Productive City" of the local Political Constitution.

Additionally, it adds a fourth paragraph to Article 2 of the Mexico City Health Law, which states that "any activity related to electronic cigarettes, vaping devices, and other similar systems or devices as established by law shall be sanctioned; as well as the production, distribution, and sale of toxic substances, chemical precursors, the illicit use of fentanyl, and other unauthorized synthetic drugs."

During the presentation of the ruling, Morena representative Valeria Cruz Flores offered details about the repercussions of these devices: "What is not said about e-cigarettes is that they do contain tobacco, that they are addictive, and that what is inhaled is not vapor, but microparticles that are highly harmful to health."

Meanwhile, Citizen Movement legislator Patricia Urriza Arellano said that what was approved represents "an absurdity" and that vaping should have been regulated instead to ensure that these products meet minimum quality standards: "The vaping market could represent up to seven billion pesos in taxes annually."