Tobacco industry fights SA’s new smoking and vaping laws

REPRESENTATIVES from the tobacco and vaping industry have consulted with the government regarding the Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Bill, which intends to introduce new smoking laws to South Africa.

This Bill effectively aims to prohibit smoking in public places almost entirely and was approved by Ramaphosa’s cabinet in 2018.

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The ban will include public conveyances (public transport), workplaces, enclosed spaces in which children are present, private dwellings which are also used for commercial activities, and outdoor public spaces.

This Bill also encompasses vapers as these products have been operating in somewhat of a legislative vacuum in South Africa.

The South African Tobacco Transformation Alliance (Satta) said it would formally object to the draft legislation which it called a ‘sham’.
Satta chairperson Ntando Shadrack Sibisi said more than 21 000 comments had been received when the Bill was first published for public comment – and the latest version remained unchanged.

Chief executive of the Vaping Products Association of South Africa (VPASA) Asanda Gcoyi also raised concerns with the regulations around vaping or ‘heated tobacco’ products.

She contends that vaping is not smoking as it is combustion-free and tobacco-free, and cited studies showing that vaping is significantly less harmful for individuals.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) agrees with this sentiment for now, however, it says we have no idea what the long-term effects of using electric nicotine devices will be and they should, therefore, be regulated until then.

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