Is Mexico Loosening Restrictions on Vaping Products?

On August 27, it was reported that four chain retail stores in Mexico have been allowed to sell e-cigarettes.

According to Mexican media reports, through a law promoted by businesses, four chain retail stores, including Sanborns, Benavides, 711, and Oxxo, will be able to freely sell e-cigarette products, despite a sales ban on e-cigarettes issued by the Mexican president. This means that Philip Morris International will be able to freely distribute its e-cigarette products in Mexico. The newspaper Milenio mentioned in a report: “Insiders revealed that Oxxo obtained a final ruling from the Second Administrative Court of Mexico City on August 10, 2023.” These retail stores stated that the recent ruling highlights the urgency of regulating the e-cigarette market, which they believe will benefit consumers, businesses, and government agencies by ensuring the quality of all products, reducing the informal market, and creating a more transparent and competitive market.

In May 2022, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador signed a decree banning the import and sale of e-cigarette products and heated tobacco products, citing that they pose greater harm than traditional cigarettes and can damage human health.