Public health researchers have called on the government to pass the Control of Tobacco and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill into law.
The bill is expected to further regulate the use, marketing and sales of e-cigarettes or vapes in South Africa, with these products currently operating in a legislative vacuum.
In a report published by the Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research (ATIM), the researchers said that it has now been two years since the bill was closed for public comments.
During this time the e-cigarette industry, currently largely unregulated, has further taken hold in South Africa.
“While the tobacco and e-cigarette industry likes to position e-cigarettes as cessation aids, the limited effectiveness of these products for long-term quitting, the health harms associated with usage, and the industry’s clear and targeted marketing to youth, are facts which are conveniently omitted from their narrative,” said Professor Lekan Ayo-Yusuf, director at ATIM.
BusinessTech – March 3, 2021.
Want More Investigative Content?
