Guyana will block imports of vaping products to tighten restrictions on electronic cigarettes amid rising youth use and health concerns, President Irfaan Ali announced in a nationwide webcast. Finance Minister Ashni Singh will issue an order blocking vape imports unless special approval is granted by the health minister or tobacco-control authorities. Ali said the measures align with international efforts and respond to feedback from parents, teachers, community leaders, and youth.
The move adds Guyana—a small English-speaking nation on South America’s northern coast with under a million people—to a broader regional push across the Americas to curb e-cigarette use among young people. According to the Pan American Health Organization, about 2 million adolescents aged 13 to 15 in the Americas vape, prompting calls for stronger regulations.
Health Minister Frank Anthony told Bloomberg News that over 100,000 children had been screened, with most identified vape users being high school students. He described vaping as a "gateway product" leading to other harmful substances and stressed the need to remove these products from stores. Anthony warned that unknown long-term effects should not be mistaken for safety.
Guyana already regulates electronic nicotine delivery systems under its 2017 Tobacco Control Act, which limits sales and use in certain areas and prohibits sales to minors. Ali said the new import ban targets the "widespread and unregulated" sale and use of vaping products in the country.
Source: Bloomberg Markets · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing