In March 2022, law 315/2022 forbidding the use, importation and sale of HTPs (consumables and devices), entered into force.
In May 2024, the Supreme Court declared law 315 unconstitutional. The Association for the Reduction of the Harm of Smoking (the plaintiff) based its case on a formal issue, claiming that the legislative approval process did not comply with constitutional provisions. Specifically, they claimed that during the second debate, the number of votes in favour did not meet the minimum threshold established by the constitution for a law’s approval. The court then declared the law unconstitutional, meaning that it is annulled and eliminated from the legal system.
This report provides analysis of the current regulatory framework in place for heated tobacco and herbal heated products in Panama, covering all policy areas.