Brazil's National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon), under the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, has ordered online commerce sites and social media platforms to remove all advertisements and promotional content for electronic cigarettes (vapes) within 48 hours, starting Tuesday (19th). The directive targets products that are illegal to commercialize in the country.
Major platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Mercado Livre have already been notified by the National Council for Combating Piracy (CNCP). These companies must submit a report within ten business days detailing the actions taken, such as content removals, account blockages, and new moderation controls. Senacon is also seeking formal clarification from YouTube regarding its policy of potentially allowing promotional or instructional videos about these devices for users over 18, with the ministry noting that a declared age "does not legalize a prohibited product or permit its advertising to the consumer" in Brazil.
This is not the first such action; in April, several platforms were notified to remove similar content. The move reinforces Anvisa's (National Health Surveillance Agency) long-standing resolution, updated in 2024, which prohibits the manufacturing, importation, commercialization, distribution, storage, transport, and advertising of all electronic smoking devices in Brazil. Wadih Damous, head of Senacon, affirmed the government's commitment to ensuring Brazilian law is enforced in the online environment to curb the sale of these prohibited products.
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