Brazil's National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon), under the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, has ordered all e-commerce platforms and social media sites to remove any advertisements and content related to the sale of electronic cigarettes (vapes) within 48 hours. Major platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Mercado Livre have been formally notified.
The directive, issued last Tuesday (19th), emphasizes that Brazilian law prohibits not only the sale but also the advertising of these devices, also known as Electronic Smoking Devices (DEFs). The notified companies have ten business days to submit a detailed report on the measures they have taken, which should include ad removal, account blocking, and new content moderation actions. Senacon is also seeking clarification from YouTube regarding its policy of allegedly allowing promotional and instructional videos for purchasing DEFs for users over 18, noting that a declared age "does not legalize a prohibited product or permit its advertising."
This is not the first such action; in April, the Ministry had already notified several platforms to remove vape-related content. National Consumer Secretary Wadih Damous reinforced the government's stance, stating, "We are acting continuously and firmly to curb the commercialization and dissemination of prohibited products in Brazil."
Senacon reiterated that Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) maintains a comprehensive ban on the manufacturing, importation, commercialization, distribution, storage, transportation, and advertising of all DEFs in the country, a policy that has been in place since 2009.
