Anvisa approves public consultation on banning electronic cigarettes in the country

The collegiate board of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) unanimously approved, this Friday (1st), the opening of a public consultation proposal to review the ban on electronic cigarettes in Brazil. Since 2009, a resolution by the entity prohibits the manufacture, sale, import and advertising of electronic smoking devices, popularly known as vapes. According to today’s Anvisa decision, civil society will have 60 days to express its opinion on the issue in the public consultation.

Throughout the meeting, broadcast in real time through Anvisa’s official YouTube channel, several demonstrations from the regulated sector, civil entities and the general population were broadcast through videos sent to the agency. In total, more than 60 people, with opinions in favor of and against the regulation of electronic cigarettes, were heard by the directors before they cast their votes.

Protests

While Anvisa’s collegiate board was meeting, a group of around 20 people linked to the non-governmental organization (NGO) Direta – Information Directory for the Reduction of Harm from Tobacco advocated, in front of Anvisa’s headquarters, the regulation of electronic cigarettes in Brazil. Among the arguments presented is that these devices do not cause the same harm as smoking.

The group also argues that, due to the lack of regulation, poor quality devices end up being freely sold in the country and that there are people manufacturing liquid for electronic cigarettes even at home. The president of the NGO, Alexandro Lucian Alves Cordeiro dos Santos, cites scientific reviews that would indicate a reduction in harm of up to 95% for people who replaced regular cigarettes with electronic cigarettes.

When asked about other studies that presented different results, indicating that electronic smoking devices may be even more harmful to health than traditional cigarettes, he argued that, in these cases, the confusion occurs because, while some research covers raw data on the presence of nicotine, others deal with the potential absorption of the substance by the body – something that varies from person to person.

Furthermore, he added, as electronic cigarettes only began to be sold in 2006 (in the United States and Europe), there is, to date, no scientific data regarding groups that used electronic cigarettes in adulthood and that have already reached to the age group of 80 years.

“Our role here is to show that electronic cigarettes are effective alternatives to help people stop smoking, replacing smoking with nicotine”, he said, stating that “nicotine is not so harmful to health nor does it cause cancer, despite some doctors say yes.” “There is a lot of misinformation,”

he added.

The president of the NGO Direta, who came from Paraná to Brasília to participate in the demonstration, also said that he has never obtained benefits (financing or partnerships) from companies or groups that may have an advantage from the sale of electronic smoking devices.

Understand

Electronic smoking devices are also known as electronic cigarettes, vape, pod, e-cigarette, e-ciggy, e-pipe, e-cigar and heat not burn (heated tobacco). Although commercialization in Brazil is prohibited, the devices can be found in several commercial establishments and consumption, especially among young people, has increased.

Since 2003, when they were created, the equipment has undergone several changes: disposable or single-use products; refillable products with liquid refills (which mostly contain propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine and flavors), in an open or closed system; heated tobacco products, which have an electronic device where a refill with tobacco is attached; pod system, which contains nicotine salts and other substances diluted in liquid and resembles pen drives, among others.

Health risks

With a pleasant aroma and flavor, electronic cigarettes arrived on the market with the promise of being less aggressive than regular cigarettes. However, the Brazilian Medical Association (AMB) warns that the absolute majority of vapes contain nicotine – a psychoactive drug responsible for dependence and which, when inhaled, reaches the brain between seven and 19 seconds, releasing chemical substances that bring an immediate sensation of pleasure.

According to the entity, in electronic cigarettes, nicotine comes in liquid form, with strong additive power, alongside solvents (propylene glycol or glycerol), water, flavorings (around 16 thousand types), flavorings and substances intended to produce a smoother vapor, to facilitate inhaling and absorption by the respiratory tract. “Hundreds of substances have been identified in aerosols, many of which are toxic and carcinogenic.”

“The electronic cigarette in the form of a pen drive and with USB delivers nicotine in the form of ‘nicotine salt’, something that resembles the natural structure of nicotine found in tobacco leaves, facilitating its inhalation for longer periods, without causing discomfort to the user. ”,

highlighted AMB.

“Each electronic cigarette pod in the format of a pen drive contains 0.7 milliliters (ml) of e-liquid with nicotine, allowing 200 puffs, similar, therefore, to the number of puffs a smoker takes from 20 conventional cigarettes. In other words, it can be said that vaping a flash drive is equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes (a pack).”

Also according to the entity, the use of electronic cigarettes was associated as an independent factor for asthma, increased arterial stiffness in healthy volunteers, being a risk for acute myocardial infarction, in the same way as traditional cigarettes. In laboratory studies, electronic cigarettes were shown to be carcinogenic to the lungs and bladder.

National Congress

In addition to the debate within the scope of Anvisa, Bill (PL) 5008/2023, authored by Senator Soraya Thronicke (Podemos-MS), is being processed in the Federal Senate, which allows the production, import, export and consumption of electronic cigarettes in the Brazil.

Young people

According to the National School Health Survey (PeNSE), carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in 2019, 22.6% of students aged 13 to 17 in the country said they had tried cigarettes at least once in life, while 26.9% have tried hookah and 16.8% have tried electronic cigarettes.

The study interviewed adolescents aged 13 to 17 who attended the 7th year of elementary school through the 3rd year of high school in public and private schools.

Tobacco control

Brazil is internationally recognized for its tobacco control policy. In July 2019, it became the second country to fully implement all measures envisaged by the World Health Organization (WHO) with the aim of reducing tobacco consumption and protecting people from chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

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