While more and more countries are tightening their rules on e-cigarettes, Argentina is taking a different path. After 15 years of prohibition, the government has decided to legalise and regulate vejp products. The announcement is seen as a clear break in the general trend towards prohibition.
Since 2011, Argentina has banned the import, sale and marketing of e-cigarettes and other vejp products. However, the country's Ministry of Health is now lifting these bans and replacing them with a new regulatory framework for vejps, nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products.
The decision was made public through Resolution 549/2026, which was published at the beginning of May, according to a press release from the World Vapers Alliance.
The Argentinian authorities justify the shift by saying that the prohibition policy has not worked in practice. The products were still readily available on the black market, but without quality controls or supervision.
”Consumers deserve this”
Under the new system, products will instead be registered and subject to traceability requirements, content declarations and sales controls. At the same time, certain restrictions are also introduced, including on flavours and marketing.
- Argentina has realised that prohibition does not work. ”Consumers deserve access to less harmful alternatives and products should be regulated - not banned,’ said Michael Landl, head of the World Vapers” Alliance, in a statement.
One of the few countries to back away from bans
Argentina's decision stands out internationally. In recent years, the trend has been in the opposite direction.
In Latin America, several countries have had total bans on vejp products. As recently as 2023, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) found that eight countries in the region had completely banned the sale of e-cigarettes, including Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay.
At the same time, many European countries have started to tighten the rules significantly. Belgium introduced a ban on the sale of single-use vejps in January 2025, the first in the EU, followed by France and the UK later that year.
Vejpkollen has previously reported on how several countries have also increased penalties for vejpning. In Mexico, a bill was recently passed that could lead to up to eight years in prison for the production and sale of vejp products.
Countries such as Thailand, Singapore and India also continue to have very strict laws where both selling and importing can result in heavy fines or imprisonment.
“The ban only created a black market”
Harm reduction advocates describe Argentina's decision as a recognition that prohibition does not stop use. The uncontrolled black market is identified as a key factor behind the shift. The products were sold openly through social media, kiosks and informal import routes, despite the long-standing ban.
At the same time, the Argentinean government refers to the fact that use among young people is already widespread. The supporting documentation for the Decision mentions national surveys ranking vejp as one of the most common nicotine products among high school students.
