GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Facing mounting public alarm over the surging prevalence of vaping among school-aged children and young adults, the Government of Guyana has announced sweeping new restrictions on the import of all vaping products. President Irfaan Ali made the announcement Saturday evening, October 17, confirming that Senior Finance Minister Ashni Singh will issue an official order under the Customs Act, Chapter 82:01, to enforce the import limits.
Under the new policy, all categories of vaping products will face import restrictions, with narrow exceptions granted only after formal approval from the national health minister, the National Tobacco Control Council, or the Tobacco Control Board. President Ali explained that the policy shift comes in response to widespread public outcry over unregulated importation, open market sales, and easy access to vape pens by underage users across the country.
“The restrictions we have authorized align with global public health efforts and reflect what we have heard from parents, teachers, community leaders, young people, and the broader public,” Ali stated.
The president emphasized that the measure is crafted to balance public health protection with access to legitimate medical and therapeutic uses of vaping products, which will remain permitted under close supervision from relevant health authorities. Ali noted that as vaping emerges as a growing public health concern both domestically and across the globe, the Guyanese government has a core responsibility to safeguard public health, especially the wellbeing of youth populations.
Leading global health authorities back the government’s action. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that vaping products, commonly referred to as e-cigarettes, are not safe for children, pregnant people, or adults. E-cigarette aerosol can contain nicotine, toxic heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, and other harmful substances that pose long-term health risks.
The vaping crisis is not unique to Guyana; it is a growing public health challenge across the wider Caribbean, where authorities are already grappling with high rates of non-communicable diseases. President Ali pointed out that while vaping products are often marketed as safer alternatives to traditional cigarettes, they are far from harmless, echoing warnings issued by the World Health Organization about the specific risks vaping poses to children and young people.
“Vaping is a challenge that every society around the world currently confronts,” Ali said. “Protecting children, pregnant people, and older adults must remain our top priority. We cannot turn a blind eye to the potential impacts of youth vaping on our young people and our education system.”
Ali concluded by noting that concerns over youth access to vaping products are shared by regional leaders across the Caribbean, who are also collaborating to develop coordinated strategies to address this growing public health threat.