The Portfolio Committee on Health has announced that public consultation on the new Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill will now end on 28 July, having been extended form the original submission period of between 21 June and 4 August.
The Bill intends regulating the sale and advertising of e-cigarettes, like vapes, as well as traditional cigarettes and tobacco products, reports BusinessTech.
Many stakeholders were concerned as to the severe knock-on effects of the new Bill on the industry – a key driver of economic growth in South Africa.
Asanda Gcoyi, chief executive of the Vapour Products Association (VPASA), said combustible alternatives to traditional cigarettes should form the backbone of tobacco harm reduction in South Africa and be seen more as a solution to a problem rather than a new problem.
Barry Buchman, managing director of Vaperite, said that the newly imposed excise duty on vaping products was punishing retailers, and forcing consumers to buy the highest and most addictive nicotine-content-e-liquid because it was cheaper, negating the original aim of the National Treasury to tackle health-related issues.
BusinessTech article – New deadline for smoking and vape laws in South Africa (Open access)
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Why taxing vaping in SA will not help ensure a just tobacco transition
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