Legislators Advance E-Cigarette Oversight in Health Reform

Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies plans to vote on a reform to the General Health Law that has been under discussion for months before Dec. 15, 2025, the final day of the session.

Ricardo Monreal, President of the Political Coordination Board, says that the General Health Law reform will be the first item taken up, after being postponed last week in favor of the Water Law discussion. He explains that the health reform is broader than regulations on electronic cigarettes and seeks to update the current framework in several areas.

The initiative includes differentiated measures for consumers and for producers, sellers, and distributors of electronic cigarettes. According to Monreal, the proposal does not impose prison sentences on consumers. Instead, the approach centers on public awareness campaigns aimed at informing users about the health risks associated with electronic cigarette use.

He says that the market for electronic cigarettes has expanded significantly, particularly among minors and adolescents, raising concerns within the health sector and among legislators. The reform aims to address these trends by establishing clear sanctions for companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell these products.

Monreal says misinformation has circulated about possible penalties for users, emphasizing that enforcement will focus on regulating commercial actors. Consumers will be the target of information and prevention efforts rather than punitive actions.

As the legislative period closes, lawmakers are expected to finalize debate and voting on the health reform and two additional pending laws. The process marks one of the final substantive actions of the session and is expected to shape upcoming regulatory and enforcement measures in the health sector, which plays a central role in national workforce well-being and talent development.

The discussion has intensified following the approval of a constitutional reform banning the production, distribution, and sale of electronic cigarettes, vape devices, and unauthorized toxic substances. The reform has drawn strong reactions from public health experts, lawmakers, and international organizations that see potential in regulated harm-reduction tools to reduce smoking-related deaths and boost fiscal revenues, reports MBN.

The amendment, supported by MORENA, the Green Party, the Labor Party, PRI, and PAN, and opposed only by Movimiento Ciudadano, modifies Articles 4 and 5 of the Constitution. While its supporters frame the reform as a public health and security measure, critics argue that it equates vaping with fentanyl misuse, reflecting a prohibitionist approach inspired by US policy rather than domestic evidence. Movimiento Ciudadano Senator Alejandra Barrales said preventive regulation would be more effective than bans, while PAN Senator Ricardo Anaya called the inclusion of fentanyl a “political message to Donald Trump.”

The constitutional change sets the stage for upcoming discussions in the Chamber of Deputies on reforms to the General Health Law, which will define the legal framework for electronic cigarettes and other alternative nicotine products. Through a press release, Alberto Gómez, Policy Manager at the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA), argues that the law’s secondary regulation will be key to determining the practical reach of the ban. “The evidence is clear: prohibiting does not protect. What Mexico needs is intelligent regulation that guarantees safe access for adults and eliminates the illegal market that continues to grow unchecked,” he says. Gómez says that a regulated model could establish quality standards, sales restrictions, and tax mechanisms to protect public health while generating revenue.

According to a 2025 study by El Colegio de México, taxing e-cigarettes through an excise tax (IEPS) could raise up to MX$6.94 billion annually. Advocates of regulation contend that such measures would not only improve public health oversight but also reduce illicit trade and generate new fiscal resources. The World Vapers’ Alliance supports strict yet balanced regulation to avoid ceding the market to unregulated operators.

The health dimension remains central to the debate. Since 2015, research from the UK National Health Service (NHS) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested that vaping poses significantly fewer risks than smoking traditional tobacco, by up to 95%, according to UK findings. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) maintains a cautious position, warning that e-cigarettes contain nicotine and potentially toxic compounds, including diacetyl, heavy metals, and carcinogens.

On World No Tobacco Day 2025, WHO renewed its warnings about tobacco industry tactics and rising e-cigarette use among youth. The organization estimates that 37 million adolescents between 13 and 15 years old use tobacco products globally and attributes the popularity of vaping among young people to flavored options such as mint, fruit, and candy. Critics argue that WHO’s stance overlooks the potential of vaping and other nicotine delivery systems as harm-reduction tools that can help adult smokers quit. Experts from the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa have urged WHO to integrate harm reduction into its tobacco control policies rather than adopting outright prohibitions that may strengthen illicit markets.