Argentina Mandates Health Warnings on E-Cigarettes & Nicotine Pouches
The Ministry of Health in Argentina has officially updated its labeling and advertising regulations for tobacco products. Published in the Official Gazette under Resolution 796/2026, the new mandate extends graphic health warning requirements to modern alternatives, including electronic cigarettes, vapers, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches.
This regulatory shift adapts Argentina’s legal framework to modern consumption trends, unifying all products under the National Anti-Tobacco Law (Law 26.687). The new directive repeals previous resolutions from 2019 and 2021, replacing them with a single, updated document: “Sanitary Warnings for Tobacco and Nicotine Products.” Under this framework, the Ministry of Health retains exclusive authority over the design, pictograms, and rotation of all warning messages.
For traditional cigarettes and combustible tobacco, packages will continue to display graphic warnings. However, manufacturers must now include the phrase “Smoking tobacco…” on the back of packaging, followed by one of ten specific health warnings detailing risks such as cancer, COPD, heart attacks, blindness, diabetes, and environmental pollution.
For newer alternatives like e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, the ministry has established a unified warning. Because these products share nicotine as a highly addictive common denominator, they must carry the singular message: “Este producto contiene nicotina que es altamente adictiva” (This product contains nicotine, which is highly addictive).
The positioning of these warnings is strictly regulated across all product categories:
- Packaging:Â Texts and images must occupy the bottom 50% of the main packaging surfaces.
- Advertising:Â Any promotional or advertising material must dedicate 20% of its total area to a black-and-white warning box detailing the health risks of consumption.
In tandem with these graphic restrictions, the Ministry of Health is leveraging digital technology to support public health. The resolution introduces an official WhatsApp chatbot designed to provide general information on smoking, offer personalized strategies to help users quit, and facilitate public complaints regarding unauthorized advertising or violations of smoke-free spaces.
- Read more: Argentina Eases Smoke-Free Rules, Igniting Latin American Vape Debate
- Source: Actualizan las advertencias en paquetes de tabaco e incluye a los cigarrillos electrónicos y bolsas de nicotina
