Uruguay Reinstates Ban on Vape & Heated Tobacco Sales

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Estonia flavored heated tobacco ban

Uruguay has reinstated a comprehensive ban on the importation and sale of heated tobacco products and e-cigarettes (vapes), revoking a 2021 decree that had previously allowed their commercialization. The announcement was made by Laura Llambí, director of Uruguay’s National Tobacco Control Program.

Under the reinstated prohibition, these products also cannot be promoted, advertised, or used in enclosed public spaces, aligning their regulation more closely with traditional tobacco products. Additionally, another decree that had provided flexibility regarding plain packaging for tobacco products has also been repealed, signaling a return to stricter packaging rules which mandate a single, uniform color for all tobacco product packaging (as per Decree 120/019 from 2019).

Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi stated that these decisions mark a return to the country’s pioneering path in tobacco control. Uruguay is globally recognized for its robust anti-tobacco policies, being the first nation to fully implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and famously winning a six-year legal battle against Philip Morris over these measures. The country’s landmark 2008 law (Ley 18256) banned smoking in enclosed public and workplaces, restricted tobacco branding, and mandated prominent health warnings and pictograms on packaging. The government emphasized that these strengthened measures aim to protect public health and build on Uruguay’s legacy as a leader in combating tobacco use.

Matthew Ma
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