The Costa Rican Ministry of Health in Costa Rica has again warned the population about the use of electronic cigarettes by minors and mentioned the provision that prohibits the sale of vaping products to youth.
“In the last months worldwide, there have been events linking the use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), Similar Systems Without Nicotine (SNNS) and electronic devices that use heated tobacco, and analog technologies with lung diseases and even cases of death,” Costa Rican media reports.
“For this reason, this ministry, in a statement, reminds and warns the population about the harmful effects associated with the use of these devices.”
Vaping misinformation is rampant in Costa Rica.
In 2021, the Red Nacional Antitabaco (RENATA) – National Anti-Smoking Network – expressed satisfaction with approving a law banning vaping in Costa Rica.
“It is important to consider the vulnerability of all consumers of tobacco products, including electronic devices or vapers, to any disease of the respiratory system, since the first studies on the effects of the use of vaporizers and heated tobacco products show negative consequences for the lungs and the immune and cardiovascular systems,” said Nydia Amador, president of RENATA.
RENATA also stated that vaping advocates “tried to confuse public opinion by claiming that vaping is 95 percent less harmful than tobacco use.”
Many organizations, such as the United Kingdom’s Royal College of Physicians and Public Health England (PHE) have released studies that show vapor products have been scientifically proven to be 95 percent less harmful than cigarettes and related tobacco products. This is supported by the U.S. Academies of Science, which has also found that e-cigarettes have a lower harm profile than their combustible competition.