Electronic cigarette was prohibited in Argentina

Argentina, May 9, 2011

The National Food, Drug and Medical Technology (ANMAT) prohibited the marketing of electronic cigarette around the country.

The coordinator of the National Programme for Control of Snuff, Mario Virgolini, said: “Some argue why prohibit this and not prohibit the common cigarette. We explained that if both were emergent elements we would ban them both, but tobacco is already installed in society and the efforts to eradicate it will have to be more gradual, as plainly banning it would only generate black market.”

As published in the Official Gazette, the import, marketing, distribution, advertising and / or any other form of promotion in Argentina of the electronic cigarette (the electrical system of administration of nicotine) is now forbidden.

Last year, the ANMAT had “discouraged its use,” arguing that “smoking devices have not been presented to date scientific evidence of its efficacy and safety.”