Tourists may face steep fines and jail time for vapes at popular vacation hot spot

Bringing a vape to Mexico may have serious consequences.

Cruise passengers heading to Mexico may want to skip packing their e-cigarettes, as the country is now actively enforcing a nationwide ban on vaping devices, according to Mexico's Chamber of Deputies.

The new rules took effect Jan. 17 after a constitutional reform aimed at protecting public health was enacted.

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The reform authorizes penalties for any activity involving electronic cigarettes, vapes or similar devices, according to the chamber's website.

It also prohibits the making, selling and handling of toxic substances and chemical ingredients, along with the illegal use of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.

Travelers who bring e-cigarettes into the country can be subject to enforcement when passing through customs.

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When travelers step off a ship at a Mexican port, any items they carry ashore can be considered imports under Mexican law, even if the products were purchased legally elsewhere and intended for personal use, Cruise Hive reported.

Cruise lines such as Margaritaville at Sea have begun alerting their guests of the policy, advising passengers to leave any vaping devices onboard the ships or just avoid bringing them altogether, according to numerous reports. 

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"If guests are caught, they could see their devices confiscated, face hefty fines of up to $12,500 - and/or detainment," said Cruise Hive. 

The site added, "The crime is also punishable by up to eight years in prison."

Mexico has been tightening restrictions on smoking and vaping for several years.

Fox News Digital previously reported that the country expanded a nationwide smoking ban in 2023, prohibiting smoking on beaches and in most public places, including at parks, in hotels and on public transportation.

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"Mexico becomes one of the countries at the forefront [of] protecting the health of children and adolescents," Gady Zabicky Sirot, head of Mexico's National Commission against Addictions, said in a press release.

Andrew Mark Miller of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.