Mexico bans vape sales and warns tourists to leave e-cigarettes at home

Tourists are therefore advised against travelling with vaping devices, as they risk fines of around €400 and possible detention. Separately, vaping and smoking in public spaces have been banned since 2023, as have tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. This carries a fine of up to 3,000 Mexican pesos (approximately €150).

In a statement, Mexico’s current head of state, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, said that the law would penalise ‘all activities related to electronic cigarettes, vaping devices and other similar electronic systems or devices specified by law’. She added that measures targeting toxic substances, chemical precursors, and synthetic drugs also form part of broader public health efforts.

With the FIFA World Cup scheduled for June and July 2026, millions of football fans are expected to travel to Mexico. In order to avoid confusion and prevent visitors from unknowingly breaking the law, the head of Mexico City’s government, Clara Brugada, has announced a major information campaign to clarify ‘what can and cannot be done in the city’.

But the responsibility does not lie with the Mexican authorities alone. Knowing that thorough bag checks are to be expected during the World Cup, countries sending large numbers of fans should also ensure that travellers are properly informed before they depart, to avoid them going to watch a match and returning home with a hefty fine or worse.