For the first time since 2007, the number of smokers in Brazil increased last year, according to a Health Ministry survey. The trend is alarming in a country once hailed internationally for its successful anti-smoking policies, which had steadily reduced smoking rates for decades.
The same survey found that 2.6% of Brazilian adults—about 4 million people—now use electronic cigarettes, despite a nationwide ban in place since 2009. With no regulatory oversight, these products circulate exclusively in clandestine markets, exposing users to unknown health risks and strengthening illegal networks.
Public health experts warn that prohibition alone may be backfiring, citing examples from other countries, like the UK, Sweden, Japan, and Canada, where regulated e-cigarettes have contributed to falling smoking rates. Critics argue that Brazil must reconsider its approach, shifting from prohibition to regulation based on scientific harm reduction.