The Canary Islands Government has confirmed it will maintain and increase the fiscal levy on electronic cigarettes in its 2025 budget. Finance Minister Matilde Asián announced the move as part of a broader public health strategy aimed at deterring youth vaping.
This decision builds upon the region’s pioneering 2024 budget. The Canary Islands previously became the first Spanish region to implement a €0.10 per milliliter tax on all e-liquids, applying equally to products with or without nicotine.
Minister Asián emphasized that this fiscal policy underscores the government’s commitment to public health, expressing hope that similar taxation mandates will soon be adopted across Europe.
The policy has garnered support due to rising concerns over youth addiction. Melodie Mendoza of the Gomera Socialist Party (ASG) backed the move, aligning with the Ministry of Health’s efforts to regulate e-cigarettes identically to traditional tobacco.
Mendoza labeled sweet-flavored, toy-like vaping devices as “deceptive gateways” for adolescents, highlighting several critical public health concerns:
- The Gateway Effect: Studies indicate that children who use e-cigarettes are up to three times more likely to transition to smoking traditional tobacco.
- Inherent Health Risks: Even nicotine-free vaping products pose significant health risks, particularly concerning lung damage and habit formation in minors.
- Lack of Efficacy: There is a lack of solid evidence proving that e-cigarettes serve as effective smoking cessation tools.
By increasing the tax, the government anticipates a dual benefit: creating a strong financial deterrent against youth vaping while securing vital additional funding for local healthcare services. Officials hope this proactive stance will set a regulatory precedent for the rest of Spain to follow in the fight against tobacco-related harm.
