SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 17th Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Minister of Finance of the Canary Islands, Matilde Asián, announced on Wednesday that the tax on electronic cigarettes and vaping, which was first implemented in the 2024 budget, will be continued in the 2025 budget.
Responding to a query from ASG in the parliamentary committee, she highlighted that the Canary Islands Government was a trailblazer in Spain by setting a levy of 0.10 Euros per millilitre for e-cigarette liquids, with or without nicotine. Asián also mentioned that it would be advantageous for the European directive to explicitly include taxes on electronic cigarette liquids and heated liquids.
She stressed the Canarian Government’s strong commitment to health, stating it surpasses the rest of the national territory but remains below countries that have implemented similar measures.
Expressing concern, Melodie Mendoza (ASG) cautioned that vaping and e-cigarettes could serve as a “misleading method to lure adolescents into tobacco use”, some of which have “toy-like appearances and sweet flavours”, prompting the Ministry of Health to consider subjecting them to the same regulations as traditional tobacco products.
She acknowledged that although some e-cigarettes do not contain nicotine and are not addictive, they still pose health risks, particularly regarding lung issues like lesions. Mendoza emphasized the potential habit-forming nature of these products, especially among children.
Furthermore, she highlighted the lack of substantial evidence supporting the use of electronic cigarettes as an effective smoking cessation aid, stating that young users are “up to three times more likely” to switch to traditional tobacco in the future.
Therefore, she believes that a potential increase in taxation would serve a dual purpose by acting as a deterrent and supplying additional funds for healthcare services.
