AG warns of jail time, heavy fines for illegal vape imports

…says to allow limited importation on medical exemptions

As the Government moves to regulate the importation of vaping products in an effort to protect its population from its dangers, Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has clarified that there will be exemptions to the ban for medicinal purposes.
Speaking during his programme “Issues in the News” on Tuesday evening, he explained that only the Minister of Health of the Tobacco Control Council can grant those exemptions.
“There are medicinal uses to which vaping and vaping materials and vaping substances can be employed. In those very limited cases, the Minister of Health will have to grant permission or the National Tobacco Control Council, and of course, the grounds upon which this permission is granted would be very circumscribed,” Nandlall explained.
President Dr Irfaan Ali on Saturday evening announced that the Government will restrict the importation of vapes and vaping products for recreational use into Guyana. He said the move comes on the heels of growing concerns over the uptake in vaping, especially among young people, and the health risks attached to this practice.
In making his announcement, the Head of State had explained that Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh will sign an order under the Customs Act, Chapter 82:01, placing restrictions on the importation of vapes of all kinds, except as approved by the Minister responsible for Health or the National Tobacco Control Council or Tobacco Control Board.
According to Nandlall, while enforcement in Guyana is an issue, placing the restriction at the level of importation will make it easier to address.
Moreover, he warned of jailtime and fines for persons found guilty of breaching the law under the Customs Act.
“It is common ground under the Customs Act…that any person who imports without the requisite permission any restricted items shall be charged for a criminal offence and shall be fined a specified sum of money along with treble the value of the particular item being imported along with a term of imprisonment for one year. That’s the penalty already in the Act,” he highlighted.
The AG emphasised that the amendments will be comprehensive and were fashioned in accordance with practices already taking place in countries across the globe.
Vaping has become a matter of increasing public health concern internationally, with the World Health Organization (WHO) repeatedly warning about the use of vaping and its effect on mental health and young people, especially children.
President Ali has since called on parents, religious leaders, teachers, and community leaders to educate children and young people on the dangers and consequences of vaping, especially in cases where additives are used.
“Vaping has also been linked to concerns about respiratory health. The long-term consequences of vaping are not only health-related but can change the social dimensions of society and can affect our children and young people who are exposed to vaping at an early age because the accessibility can expose them to the danger of mental health issues and challenges. The absence of complete knowledge about those long-term effects must not be mistaken for evidence of safety…We have to protect our children, we have to protect our schools, and we have to protect our society. We have to adopt measures that are relevant to the challenges we face as a society, and one such challenge is the abuse, misuse, and even use of vaping among teenagers, young children in some instances, in our school system,” the Guyanese Leader has emphasised.
The move to restrict the importation of vaping products into Guyana has been welcomed by a wide section of society, including religious groups and the Private Sector.