GOVERNMENTS are too often accused of acting after the harm is done. On vaping, President Irfaan Ali has chosen to act before it takes root, and that deserves credit.
The government will restrict the importation of all vapes and vaping products, except those approved by the Minister of Health or the relevant tobacco control authorities.
The move responds to growing concern about the widespread and largely unregulated import, sale and use of these products, particularly among schoolchildren and teenagers. It leaves room for approved medicinal, therapeutic or other legitimate applications, so it is a targeted intervention, not a blunt instrument.
The case for it is overwhelming. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 15 million children aged 13 to 15 now vape, and that vaping among that age group is nine times higher than among adults. The WHO also warns that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes are highly addictive, produce toxic substances, some of them carcinogenic, and raise the risk of heart and lung disorders.
Our children are especially vulnerable. The WHO notes that young people’s brains keep developing into their mid-twenties, and that e-cigarette use can affect brain development and lead to learning disorders. Nor is vaping a harmless detour. The same body reports that young people who use e-cigarettes are almost three times more likely to smoke cigarettes later in life. Far from replacing smoking, vaping can be a gateway into it.
Marketing makes the danger worse. The WHO says e-cigarettes target children through social media and influencers, with at least 16,000 flavours. Bright colours, sweet tastes and sleek designs are built to make a hazardous habit look modern and harmless. As the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana put it, those features must not disguise the danger of nicotine dependence.
The response from the Guyanese society has been striking. Business, faith, sport and community groups have all backed the measure.
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry acknowledged that while trade is essential to development, responsible commerce means recognising when a product poses risks that warrant stronger regulation. When importers’ representatives accept that principle, the argument is largely won. The Ethnic Relations Commission rightly observed that the risks are shared by families across Guyana, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or background.
Guyana is also in good company. Governments across the region and beyond are tightening controls, with Mexico moving this year to a comprehensive prohibition covering vape manufacture, sale and import. Guyana is not an outlier but part of a global course correction.
Still, a policy is only as good as its enforcement. One parent has already asked how compliance will be monitored and how underage purchases from shops will be prevented.
The Chamber has asked for stronger monitoring at ports of entry, clearly defined import and exemption procedures, and effective enforcement against unauthorised distribution. These are fair demands.
The government should answer them with properly resourced Customs and health officials, strict penalties for illicit traders, and the full use of the Tobacco Control Act 2017, which already bars the sale of vaping products to anyone under 18.
Prohibition alone will not finish the job. As the Afro-Guyanese Heritage Association urged, the measures should be backed by sustained public education and accessible assistance for young people seeking to stop using these products. Children already hooked need help, not shame.
Governing means making hard choices before a crisis arrives. The president has made one that puts children ahead of commerce and prevention ahead of cure. Parliament, regulators and the public should now see it through.
