Cuban Customs reiterates the validity of restrictions on the importation of electronic cigarettes
HAVANA, Oct. 24 The General Customs of the Republic of Cuba ratified the validity of the restrictions on the importation of electronic cigarettes and other products considered harmful to the country, given the increase in detections at the border, according to a note published on the official site Citizen Portal Soy Villa Clara.
The publication recalls that this state entity abides by the “regulations inherent to the Central Administrations of the State, such is the case of Resolution 23 of 2020 of the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), which regulates the non-commercial import and export of electronic cigarettes and other similar products.
This resolution, signed by the Minister of Public Health José Ángel Portal Miranda, “prohibits the import, possession, transport or export of beverages, food, materials, bibliography, propaganda, goods, objects, paraphernalia, electronic cigarettes or any other input that incites, stimulates or spread the use of the Cannabis plant (marijuana), the Erythroxylum coca (coca) bush and Banisteria laurifolia (yagué), flowers, seeds, products or substances, components derived from these, that produce effects similar to drugs, whether medicinal or recreational.”
Even “although these do not contain the active ingredients of the drug or substance that they represent or allude to, the incitement, encouragement or propaganda as a whole is considered harmful to human health.”
Cuban Customs emphasizes in its statement, also published on Facebook, that this legal norm, however, “does not exempt people who have medical prescriptions for the consumption of these substances for therapeutic purposes and recognizes the increase in legalization at the national level. by several countries.”
However, he points out that for the Cuban authorities, this product continues to be “harmful to human health and promotes the tendency to consume narcotic substances and drugs, for which there is a zero-tolerance policy in the country.”
According to the text, “e-cigarettes are still novel, and more research is needed over a longer period of time to know what effects they may have on health, and which may put people’s health at risk.” .
Faced with this situation, Customs alleges that “there is no scientific basis that supports or approves that its use can influence smoking cessation, in addition to the fact that it lacks approval from the World Health Organization.”
Last August, a letter published by the editorial staff of CiberCuba reported on the demands regarding electronic cigarettes at the José Martí International Airport in Havana.
An affected traveler reported that he had arrived in the Cuban capital on July 19 and his electronic cigarette had been confiscated at the airport. “The reason? Possible THC content of marijuana,” he specified.
Likewise, he took advantage of his publication to reproach the Cuban Customs who claim they can take two electronic cigarette kits, but they are confiscating and selling all the ones they detect.
He assured the latter because during his stay he obtained the latest model through Facebook group sales. “The seller assured me that all the vapers he sells come from Airport Customs,” he said.
Cuban customs authorities recently warned about the increase in cases of drug trafficking in the country’s airports, after these will more than double compared to 2022.
In July, the government itself acknowledged that drug trafficking through Cuba’s airports and coastal areas had experienced a significant increase, exceeding the figures recorded the previous year.
So far in 2023, it has emerged that among the main narcotics that have been attempted to enter the country are cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy and “synthetic cannabinoids” (artificial chemical compounds).
