President Dr. Irfaan Ali has announced plans to restrict the importation of vapes and vaping products, citing growing concerns about their use among children and teenagers, including in schools.
During a Facebook Live address on Saturday night, Ali said Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh would soon sign an order under the Customs Act restricting imports of all types of vapes, except those approved by the Health Minister or the designated tobacco control authorities.
The restrictions will primarily target products imported for recreational use. Legitimate medicinal, therapeutic or alternative applications could still be authorised, subject to approval by the relevant health authorities.
“This measure is necessary in light of growing concerns over the widespread and unregulated importation, sale and use of vapes and vaping products in Guyana,” the President said.
Ali said the decision followed discussions with teachers, parents, children, religious leaders and other members of society who had raised concerns about vaping and its effects on young people.
He argued that the Government had a responsibility to intervene to protect public health and ensure potentially harmful products were subject to appropriate oversight.
“We have to protect our children, we have to protect our schools, we have to protect our society,” he stated.
The President cautioned against treating vaping products as harmless simply because they are marketed as alternatives to conventional cigarettes. He highlighted concerns about addiction, exposure to toxic substances and possible effects on respiratory health.
The World Health Organisation says e-cigarette emissions typically contain nicotine and other toxic substances that can harm users and people exposed to the aerosol. It also warns that nicotine exposure can negatively affect brain development in children and adolescents.
Ali urged parents, teachers and religious and community leaders to educate young people about the dangers of vaping, particularly the substances used in the products.
“The absence of complete knowledge about those long-term effects must not be mistaken for evidence of safety,” he said.
Addressing arguments that some vaping products have therapeutic uses or serve as alternatives to cigarettes, Ali said such applications would require assessment and approval rather than unrestricted entry into the country.
“While these restrictions are primarily intended to address the importation of vapes and vaping product for recreational use, they will not preclude legitimate medicinal, therapeutic or alternative application where these are deemed necessary and appropriate,” he explained.
Any approved use, he added, would have to comply with applicable laws, regulations and medical standards.
The President described the planned restrictions as part of a wider effort to protect families and strengthen public-health safeguards, noting that other countries were also confronting concerns about youth vaping.
