Argentina: Neuquén Proposes Ban on Indoor Vaping
A new bill has been introduced in the Deliberative Council of Neuquén, Argentina, that seeks to declare vaping devices and similar products harmful to health and to prohibit their use in all enclosed public and private-access public spaces. The initiative, presented by Councilor Karina Rojo of the Pluralistas bloc, aims to strengthen municipal legislation regarding the prevention of tobacco and nicotine consumption.
The project proposes an update to the city’s existing ordinances, which already ban conventional cigarette smoking in places like bars, restaurants, and municipal buildings. This expansion would explicitly include electronic cigarettes, vapers, and other products that, while they may not contain tobacco, emit aerosols that can affect public health. “In Neuquén, it is already forbidden to smoke conventional cigarettes in certain places… What we are doing now is incorporating these new popular devices, like vapers, into this regulation and establishing the same prohibition in private spaces that have public access,” Rojo explained in an interview with Canal 7 Noticias.
Councilor Rojo stated that the initiative aims to “declare all products related to vapers or electronic cigarettes harmful to health in the city of Neuquén, whether they use nicotine or not, but which emit aerosols and contain substances such as flavorings, propylene glycol, glycerol, and other harmful components.” The proposal also encompasses nicotine pouches and any other product or by-product that uses tobacco or nicotine.
A central focus of the legislative debate is the rising use of vapes, especially among adolescents and young adults. Rojo noted that the project is supported by recent national and international survey data showing a concerning trend. “While the use of conventional cigarettes has decreased, the consumption of electronic cigarettes has begun to increase significantly, especially among the youngest,” she said. She specified that in Argentina, the use of these devices has grown by approximately 7% in recent years, with a marked preference among the youth population who adopt them as a substitute for traditional tobacco.
Rojo emphasized the project’s preventative intent, aligning with warnings from international health organizations like the WHO about the risks associated with vapes. “We want to make it clear that they are not harmless, that they also have damaging effects for those who use them and for people exposed to the aerosol they generate,” she stressed. The bill will now be analyzed in committee meetings, with the goal of achieving consensus and approving the ordinance before the end of the year.
- Read more: Argentina Salta City Bans Vaping in Enclosed Public and Work Spaces
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