South Africa revisits tobacco control bill to unify e-cigarette product packaging

South Africa revisits tobacco control bill to unify e-cigarette product packaging

South Africa's Tobacco Products Control and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill has been revived by Parliament for further processing after it expired at the end of the previous government. The bill was first introduced in the National Assembly in December 2022 and is now on the agenda of the seventh government. Experts say the bill is an effective strategy to reduce tobacco and e-cigarette use and should be implemented urgently and tax revenue increased.

 

According to businesstech on August 13, South Africa's Tobacco Products Control and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill has been revived by Parliament for further processing after it expired at the end of the previous government. The bill was first introduced in the National Assembly in December 2022 and is now on the agenda of the seventh government.

 

It is reported that the bill aims to "strengthen public health protection measures" by aligning existing tobacco control legislation with the requirements of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The proposed legislation will regulate the sale, advertising and use of tobacco products and electronic delivery systems. Specific contents include:

 

Strengthening standards for processing, manufacturing and importation of products and related products;

 

Regulating advertising of tobacco products and electronic delivery systems;

 

Unifying the "packaging and appearance" of tobacco and electronic delivery system products;

 

Prohibiting smoking in all indoor public places and "specified outdoor areas";

 

Prohibiting cigarette vending machines;

 

Enforcing the use of "plain packaging with pictorial health warnings";

 

Prohibiting the display of tobacco products and electronic delivery systems at the point of sale.

 

The re-launch of this bill has caused mixed reactions. Dr. Sharon Nyatsanza of the National Council Against Tobacco (NCAS) said that this legislation is an important measure to promote a healthier society. She said:

 

"Strong tobacco control policies are key to reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases in South Africa and supporting the sustainable implementation of national health insurance by bringing domestic legislation closer to global standards. The measures in this bill will help reduce tobacco use, exposure to second-hand smoke and youth smoking."

 

Dr Catherine Egbe, Director of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey South Africa (GATS-SA), pointed out that the bill needs to be passed as soon as possible:

"GATS-SA data shows that 29.4% of people aged 15 and over, or 12.7 million people, use tobacco, facing serious health risks such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and respiratory diseases. The use of e-cigarettes among young people is also on the rise, raising concerns about nicotine addiction and long-term health effects, especially on the developing brains of young people."

 

Dr Egbe said the measures proposed in the bill are an effective strategy to reduce tobacco and e-cigarette use and should be implemented urgently, along with increased taxes.

 

"Our government has all the research that supports every evidence-based measure in the bill and should not be swayed by misleading information."

 

It is reported that the National Assembly Health Committee under the previous parliament had called for written submissions on the bill. National public hearings then ended in December 2023. During this process, the committee's media statements generally pointed to broad in-principle support for the health-related goals of the bill. However, at the practical level, there are still many urgent issues to be resolved. These include:

 

The possibility of increased trade in illegal tobacco products;

 

The possibility of reduced tax revenue from the production and sale of legal tobacco products and electronic delivery systems;

 

Insufficient attention to the impact on small and medium-sized and informal traders (especially single cigarette sellers);

 

Insufficient monitoring and law enforcement capabilities.

 

Although the cigarette market in South Africa remains prevalent and its illegal trade is growing rapidly, opponents of the bill believe that such legislation may further promote the development of the illegal market.

 

The SA Legal Academy mentioned:

 

"Given these issues, it is unclear how the new National Assembly Health Committee will deal with them."