Arriving in Geneva with one of the strictest anti-vaping laws in the world, Mexico opened COP11 just months after rewriting its Constitution to ban nearly all commercial activity related to e-cigarettes and similar devices.
Ramiro López, Mexico’s Deputy Minister for Health Policy and Population Well-being, told delegates that “millions of people continue to be persuaded to consume products that cause preventable disease,” insisting that policy debates cannot stall while the tobacco industry “reorganizes and promotes new forms of addiction under the guise of reduced risk.”
Mexico’s constitutional reform, approved in December 2024 and effective since January 2025, amends Articles 4 and 5 to ban commerce, production, distribution, and any profession related to vape devices, ENDS, and similar products. The Chamber of Deputies passed it with 410 votes in favor and 24 against; only Movimiento Ciudadano opposed.
The Senate approved it unanimously, making Mexico the first country to enshrine a vape ban directly into its Constitution.
Mexico received the Orchid Award from the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control for taking a strong stand. The organization praised Mexico for making a clear and forceful call for global action, explicitly naming the industry as the biggest obstacle to progress. Daily smoking in Mexico has dropped to 8.5 percent, well below the OECD average of 14.8 percent.
Inside COP11, over 1,400 delegates are managing a busy agenda that covers product regulation, liability systems, environmental effects, and nicotine addiction. Acting Head of the Secretariat Andrew Black said the meeting provides Parties with an opportunity to adopt “forward-looking tobacco control measures” and reinforce global efforts as tobacco use continues to cause more than seven million deaths each year.
One of the week’s most heated debates involves Article 2.1 on forward-looking measures. The Expert Group’s report outlines potential long-term strategies many see as an ‘endgame.’ Over 20 Parties opposed adopting a decision on the report, arguing it threatens sovereignty or sets unrealistic expectations for countries that have not fully implemented the FCTC.
Supporters countered that the decision merely invites Parties to consider options. A drafting group is expected to attempt compromise language.
Countries across Africa and Asia presented differing perspectives. Nigeria reported progress with its National Tobacco Control Act while assessing regulations for emerging nicotine products under Articles 9 and 10. Uganda highlighted a decline in adult smoking and its coordination efforts to prevent industry interference.
Nepal highlighted its implementation of 90 percent pictorial health warnings and sought assistance for new products. At the same time, Asia-Pacific harm reduction advocates published a white paper arguing that the WHO’s current strategy ignores Article 1(d) and fails to include consumers and independent scientists in policy discussions.
Outside the plenary rooms, criticism of COP11’s closed-door structure grew louder. Sessions remain inaccessible to journalists, independent researchers, vapers, and most harm-reduction advocates. At GoodCOP 2.0, smoke-free advocate Maria Papaioannoy warned that “our voices are not allowed,” citing “closed-door decision making, selective evidence reviews, and no engagement with anyone who has lived experience with safe products.”
Heneage Mitchell of FACT Asia stated that the FCTC “does not reflect evidence-based public health” and is influenced by “misinformation” and the exclusion of key stakeholders. Liza Katsiashvili of the World Vapers Alliance added that treating all nicotine products as equally harmful “is not scientific evidence” and erodes trust.
Next week’s Meeting of the Parties to the Illicit Trade Protocol will address enforcement challenges as illegal tobacco remains responsible for about 11 percent of the global market and costs governments more than 47 billion dollars annually.
Mexico is expected to advocate for increased cross-border cooperation, calling illicit trade a public safety threat that promotes corruption and organized crime.
At COP11, two approaches are clashing. Some governments, led by Mexico, are advocating for strict limits on all nicotine products, whether combustible or not. Others call for more transparency, better science, and greater inclusion of evidence on reduced-risk products.
As negotiations reach their peak, Parties must choose whether the next phase of global tobacco governance will focus on harm reduction or stick to a prohibition-focused approach.
