[Unnamed Actor] v. Mexico

An agent from the Federal Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) confiscated electronic cigarettes from the plaintiff under Article 16(VI) of the General Law on Tobacco Control, which states: "It is prohibited to trade, sell, distribute, display, promote or produce any object that is not a tobacco product which contains some of the brand elements or any type of design or auditory sign that identifies it with tobacco products." The plaintiff filed an Amparo action challenging the interpretation of Article 16. The Ministers of the Second Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) decided unanimously that it is unconstitutional to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes while, on the other hand, the sale of tobacco products is allowed in Mexico. The Court considered that even though the law seeks to protect the right to health, this cannot be done at the cost of an excessive affectation of other goods and rights. The Ministers agreed that prohibiting the sale of electronic cigarettes while the sale of tobacco products is allowed violates the right to equality, and that the measure is not the least restrictive to guarantee other constitutionally protected rights. As a result, they revoked the order from COFEPRIS and ordered the return of the seized goods to the plaintiff.

This ruling applies only to the plaintiff who was a party to this case. However, if the same court issues five judgments with identical holdings, the decision would be binding nationally. This is the third such decision by the Second Chamber.

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“Actor v. Cámaras de Diputados y de Senadores del Congreso de la Unión y del Presidente Constitucional de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Coordinador Jurisdiccional y del verificador sanitario, ambos de la Comisión Estatal para la Protección Contra Riesgos Sanitarios (COFEPRIS)”, Amparo en Revisión No. 521/2019, Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation), (2019).

  • Mexico
  • Oct 2, 2019
  • Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación – Segunda Sala

Parties

Plaintiff [Unnamed Actor]

Defendant

  • Chamber of Deputies of the Congress of the Union
  • Chambers of Senators of the Congress of the Union
  • Health Inspector, Federal Commission for Protection Against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS)
  • Jurisdictional Coordinator, Federal Commission for Protection Against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS)
  • President of the United Mexican States

Legislation Cited

General Law on Tobacco Control (Ley General para el Control del Tabaco)

Amparo Law

Constitution of Mexico

Organic Law of Judicial Power

Plenary General Agreement 5/2013

International/Regional Instruments Cited

Related Documents

Type of Litigation

Tobacco Control Topics

Substantive Issues

Type of Tobacco Product