Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali has announced sweeping restrictions on the importation of vapes and vaping products into Guyana, citing mounting public health concerns, particularly the risks posed to children and young people.
In a video statement delivered Saturday evening, the head of state said Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh will soon sign an order under the Customs Act, Cap. 82:01, restricting the importation of all types of vapes unless specifically approved by the minister responsible for health or the designated national tobacco control authorities.
The move represents a significant tightening of Guyana’s regulatory framework governing vaping products, which the president said have been entering and circulating in the country without adequate oversight.
“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,” Ali said.
“As a responsible Government, we have a duty to protect public health, particularly the health and well-being of our children and young people, and to ensure that products presenting potential risks to consumers are subject to appropriate oversight and control.”
The president said the decision follows growing international concern over the health consequences of electronic cigarettes and similar devices, particularly their increasing accessibility and potential for nicotine addiction among young people.
He pointed to restrictions already introduced in Australia, Singapore and India, noting that Guyana’s decision is consistent with broader international efforts to strengthen regulation of vaping products.
Ali cited warnings from the World Health Organization (WHO) that electronic cigarettes are not harmless alternatives to conventional tobacco products.
According to the WHO, many vaping devices contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance that can negatively affect brain development in children and adolescents. Nicotine exposure during pregnancy can also pose risks to the developing fetus.
The president further highlighted concerns that aerosols produced by vaping devices may contain toxic chemicals, fine particles and other harmful substances, including compounds associated with cancer.
He said vaping has also raised concerns about cardiovascular and respiratory health, while its long-term consequences remain insufficiently understood.
“The absence of complete knowledge about those long-term effects must not be mistaken for evidence of safety,” Ali warned.
“We cannot afford to adopt a wait-and-see approach while these products enter our country and circulate without adequate regulation.”
Under the proposed order, imports of vapes of all kinds will be restricted, with exceptions requiring approval from the minister responsible for health, the National Tobacco Control Council or the Tobacco Control Board.
The president clarified that the restrictions are primarily intended to address vaping products imported for recreational use and will not automatically exclude legitimate medicinal or therapeutic applications.
Such applications, he explained, may be permitted where medically justified and approved by the relevant health authorities in accordance with established laws, regulations and medical standards.
Ali said the government intends to strike a balance between protecting the population from potentially harmful products and allowing appropriately regulated medical applications.
He stressed that the restrictions are intended to strengthen safeguards and prevent vaping products from circulating without adequate regulatory scrutiny.
The announcement signals a tougher government approach to controlling vaping products amid concerns about their growing use and the potential consequences for public health.
“I wish to emphasise that the restrictions that we are imposing are intended to strengthen safeguards, support responsible regulation and protect the public,” the president said.
The restrictions will be formalised through the customs order to be signed by the finance minister.