GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Oct. 18, CMC – President Irfaan Ali says his administration will soon impose restrictions on the importation of vaping products into Guyana, amid growing concerns about their impact on public health, particularly among children and young people.
Ali, speaking during a social media webcast on Saturday, said the restrictions would apply to all vaping products, except those approved by the relevant health authorities for therapeutic or medicinal purposes.
“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,” he said.
The Guyanese leader said exemptions would require approval from the Minister of Health, the National Tobacco Control Council or the Tobacco Control Board.
He said the decision followed concerns raised by parents, teachers, community leaders and other stakeholders about the increasing use of vaping products, particularly among schoolchildren and teenagers.
Ali noted that several countries had already introduced restrictions on the importation and distribution of vaping products as part of efforts to safeguard public health.
He said Guyana’s proposed measures were consistent with those international efforts and reflected the government’s response to concerns within the society.
The President pointed to repeated warnings from the World Health Organization (WHO) about the potential health risks associated with vaping, despite the products often being marketed as alternatives to conventional cigarettes.
“Vaping products can expose users to toxic substances that pose risk to human health. I want to make it very clear that vaping is an issue confronting every society,” he said.
Ali expressed particular concern about the impact of nicotine addiction on children and adolescents, warning that vaping could affect brain development and expose young people to long-term health consequences.
“Vaping with all of the other alternative substances is negatively affecting our children and young people. It leads to addiction that can affect brain development in children and adolescents,” he said.
He stressed that any determination regarding vaping products intended as alternatives to cigarettes or nicotine must be made by the appropriate regulatory authorities.
The President also warned that the consequences of vaping extended beyond physical health, with potential implications for the social development and well-being of young people.
He said the issue was not confined to Guyana but was affecting countries across the Caribbean and internationally.
Ali called for continued national efforts to protect children and strengthen the values passed on to future generations.
CMC/gy/kb/2026