Smoke if you got ’em…….not!
Wait…whut?!? Did Mexico actually ban smoking?
In a Nutshell: Effective January 15, 2023, Mexico has banned smoking in all public places that are not “designated smoking areas”. This includes stores, restaurants, parks, beaches (yes, beaches!) and even hotel rooms.
As of now, if you want to inhale burned tobacco in Mexico you’ll need to be sure you’re in an official “designated smoking area”.
While few resorts still offered “smoking” rooms, primarily due to years of dwindling requests for them, those that did will quickly phase out that option as hotels are now also banned from offering smoking-friendly rooms.
The new law also limits the advertisement and display of tobacco products (you can still buy them, they just won’t be on display), but it’s Mexico’s ban on smoking and the issue of where you can – and can’t – light up that will significantly impact vacationers.
Here’s what we know about the smoking ban in Mexico:
Q. Can I take cigarettes to Mexico?
A. You can still take up to 2 cartons of cigarettes with you into Mexico, just be sure that you’re in a Designated Smoking Area before you light up.
Q. What about e-cigarettes and vape cartridges?
A. E-cigs/Vape cartridges have been banned since 2021, they cannot be purchased in Mexico and bringing them in is iffy as details on importation are not yet available…..and enforcement seems random… we have seen some folks go right through Customs with vape pens, and others have them confiscated. Regardless, be sure the battery is not connected to the cartridge and that there are NO lithium batteries in your luggage.
Q. What if I’m staying in a rental, not a hotel?
As of now indoor areas of private residences are exempt from the public smoking ban, but just be sure to check with your landlord about their smoking policies – don’t just assume you can sit on the back patio and puff away, or you may get an opportunity to test everyone’s current theory – that this is a way for the Mexican police to beef up their own pay with on-the-spot smoking-ban-violation pardons. Be sure you bring plenty of Benjamins.
We’ll update this as more information becomes available
~Jake