One year after Mexico's e-cigarette ban: black-market products still circulating among 1.7 million u

More than a year after the ban was implemented, e-cigarettes are still commonly seen in public places such as restaurants, bars, and around schools, where the air remains thick with smoke. E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, are devices that use a battery-powered resistor to heat a liquid to its boiling point, producing vapor. This liquid may contain nicotine and other addictive substances.

Among the components that have raised concerns in health departments are linalool, used in insecticides; benzyl alcohol, which is only permitted in perfumes, creams, and certain cosmetics; and isopentanol, found in bee stings, which can lead to addiction to products containing this ingredient.

According to health department estimates, about 45% of teenagers in Mexico are aware of e-cigarettes, with 1.7 million using them; studies suggest that e-cigarette use may lead to addiction at a young age. Despite the ban on the commercialization of e-cigarettes, they can still be found in certain places. Grupo Imagen confirmed that there are officially established stores in downtown Mexico City, with prices ranging from 400 to 1200 pesos, depending on the brand, usage method, or included items.

Some businesses even showcase their products for online sales on their websites. In some shopping malls, although they are no longer operational, vending machines selling e-cigarettes still display various electronic cigarettes.

Urban areas in China are another place where e-cigarettes are openly displayed; on the streets, various colors and flavors of disposable e-cigarettes are sold for less than 100 pesos. Due to a lack of regulation, the black market has emerged. The amendment initiative proposed by Movimiento Ciudadano to the health law and the general tobacco control law suggests e-cigarette regulation under three basic principles: protecting public health, respecting users' rights to personal development, and ensuring market certainty.

Isaac Macip, a spokesperson for Cofepris, pointed out that they are already aware of the sales of e-cigarettes in physical stores, social networks, and websites. He added that through collaboration with state committees, over 150,000 e-cigarettes have been confiscated nationwide.