Panama City, 13.04.2023. — The Panamanian Government continues its fight against reduced risk nicotine delivery products as it refuses to listen to Panamanian users. In March, the Panamanian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association together with civil users, presented a proposta for the regulation of electronic nicotine delivery systems in order to modify Law 315 of June 30, 2022, which prevents the more than 170,000 Panamanian smokers from switching to a much safer alternative.

The proposal was rejected by the Technical Secretariat of Economic Affairs, which issued an unfavorable report. According to the report, the Government believes that Panama should continue with the strategy set by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and reject the use of reduced risk products to help smokers quit. The report also justified its decision to reject the proposal on the grounds that they follow the legislation of countries such as Mexico and Argentina.

Michael Landl, director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, commented:

“The Government of Panama continues to ignore users and science. Tobacco harm reduction should be an indispensable element in the fight against smoking in Panama. Science has already proven that vaping is far less harmful than smoking and is the most effective therapy for quitting tobacco. The thousands of Panamanian vapers are proof of this. Panama should follow the example of countries that are succeeding in defeating smoking, such as the United Kingdom or Sweden, which is about to become the first tobacco-free country in the world, instead of copying the failure of Argentina and Mexico”.

The rejected proposal also seeked to guarantee users’ access to a legal market free of contraband. Currently, the black market is gaining prominence and it is estimated that smuggling reaches 80% of the trade of combustion cigarettes and 100% of the trade of smoke-free devices, products that lack authenticity and/or quality verification and that could threaten the health of those who use them.

The president of the Panama Tobacco Harm Reduction Association, Tomás Sánchez, added:

“Since last year’s ban, thousands of users of reduced-risk products have been forced to return to tobacco smoking or purchase their products illegally on the black market, where there are no guarantees of quality and safety. The ban has been a failure for public health and the Panamanian government needs to correct its position as soon as possible to allow smokers access to an alternative. Their response shows that they do not understand tobacco harm reduction and are unwilling to listen to users, who are the main victims of the ban”.

Nearly 1,000 people die each year in Panama from tobacco-related diseases. The ban on vaping and other reduced-risk products is expected to increase this number by forcing thousands of vapers to return to tobacco. The Panamanian government must listen to users and urgently rectify this public health catastrophe.