On October 18, 2026, two of Guyana’s leading business advocacy organizations have united to call on national authorities to crack down on illicit smuggling of vaping products, amid growing concerns over the severe public health threats these items pose to the country’s youth. The Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) both outlined a series of actionable recommendations to strengthen the country’s existing de facto ban on non-medical vaping products, ensuring the policy delivers on its intended public health goals.
As an affiliate of Guyana’s umbrella Private Sector Commission (PSC), the GMSA emphasized that firm, consistent enforcement at every port of entry into the country is non-negotiable to block unapproved shipments and prevent the emergence of an unregulated black market. The group also pushed for clear, transparent regulatory guidance that outlines import restrictions, formal approval and exemption processes, and a concrete timeline for full implementation. Currently, President Irfaan Ali has not yet specified when Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh will issue the formal executive order under the Customs Act that will codify the ban.
Echoing the GMSA’s priorities, the GCCI stressed that strengthened border monitoring, clearly defined import and exemption protocols, and aggressive enforcement against unauthorized distribution are all critical components of an effective ban. “These measures will be essential to ensuring that the restrictions meaningfully reduce access to vaping products, particularly among young people, without creating opportunities for unregulated markets,” the GCCI stated in its official release. The chamber added that the long-term success of the vaping restrictions hinges on three core pillars: clear regulatory frameworks, uniform enforcement across all agencies, and ongoing constructive engagement with impacted businesses. It warned that unaddressed illicit trade would completely undermine the public health protections the policy aims to achieve.
The GMSA has already called on its own members, as well as the broader national business community, to fully comply with the new restrictions and back the government’s public health effort. “We stand ready to work with the government, health authorities and all stakeholders to safeguard the well-being of our children and the future of our nation,” the association said. Beyond enforcement, the GMSA recommended two additional key steps for authorities: proactive consultation with impacted import and retail businesses to allow for orderly compliance, and widespread public education campaigns rolled out in schools, households, and religious centers to raise awareness of vaping’s inherent health dangers.
The Private Sector Commission, the national umbrella body for private sector interests, echoed these calls, urging all importers, distributors, and retailers to adhere fully to the announced requirements. “Ensure that their sales and marketing practices do not encourage vaping among children and adolescents,” the PSC said, adding that “clear implementation guidance and cooperation between the authorities and the business community will be essential to achieving the intended protections.”
President Ali has previously outlined the broad health harms linked to vaping, noting that the practice can damage respiratory health, mental well-being, and reproductive health. Under the current policy framework, only the Minister of Health, the Tobacco Control Board, or the National Tobacco Control Council have the authority to approve imports of vaping products for limited medicinal or therapeutic purposes.
Concerns over illicit vaping trade are not unfounded: back in January 2026, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) announced that its early warning detection system led to the seizure of multiple branded vape cartridges laced with high-potency THC, the psychoactive compound found in cannabis. CANU officials reported that the seized products were professionally packaged in bright, colorful designs explicitly targeted at young consumers, marking a worrying shift in the illicit drug trade toward high-potency cannabis concentrates disguised as mainstream consumer vaping products. The agency warned that these unregulated products pose severe public risks, including their extremely high THC content, unknown and potentially toxic contaminants, intentional appeal to youth, and their illegal status across Guyana.