The Argentinian vapers’ association Asovape Argentina and the World Vapers’ Alliance have sent an open letter to the new President of Argentina, Javier Milei, calling for the repeal of the ANMAT administrative provision banning the commercialisation of e-cigarettes. The World Vapers’ Alliance supported the call as Argentina is one of the most restrictive countries on vaping in South America.

La disposición 3226/2011 de la Administración Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Tecnología Médica (ANMAT) prohibió el 6 de mayo de 2011 la importación, distribución, comercialización, publicidad y promoción de los cigarrillos electrónicos tras concluir que la nicotina era una droga altamente tóxica y que no existía evidencia científica suficiente para afirmar que los cigarrillos electrónicos eran menos dañinos que el tabaco y que servían como herramienta para dejar de fumar.

The signatory associations explain in the letter that numerous studies conducted since the ban came into force have demonstrated the significantly lower risk profile and the usefulness for smoking cessation of these devices, as well as the low health risk of nicotine.

They also argue that the ban is incompatible with respect for the individual freedom of Argentine adults and the rights to free development of personality, information and health of users and smokers.

Juan Facundo Teme, President of the Argentinian vapers’ association Asovape Argentina, commented: “The ban violates the rights and freedoms of Argentine adults and should be repealed. The state is not the one to tell Argentines how to consume nicotine and should respect the decisions of individuals who choose to vape in order to consume it in a less harmful way. Moreover, all the arguments on which the ban was based have been disproved.”

Every year 225,000 Argentines fall ill and almost 60,000 Argentines die from smoking-related diseases. Argentina has a smoking rate of 24.5%, the second highest in Latin America and one of the highest in the world.

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