Latest news from vapour products industry.

The onslaught on vaping is set to continue 2026, with a number of countries looking to enact stricter laws to either ban or regulate vaping. Intense lobbying and pressure from the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2025, saw several countries turn to various form of bans to curb youth vaping. Countries such as United Kingdom and New Zealand, who are considered leaders in advocating for tobacco harm reduction, also introduced single use vapes bans to curb youth vaping.

This month of August, the portfolio committee on health wrapped up its oral hearings on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill. The committee hopes to finish processing the bill by the end of September, before sending it to the national assembly for approval.

In April, the United Kingdom Parliament had a second reading (the general debate on all aspects of the bill) of the tobacco and vapes bill. After passing that stage, the bill moves to Committee stage where it will undergo line by line scrutiny.

As the Portfolio Committee on Health (PCoH) is in the process of holding public hearings on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill (Tobacco bill) in the Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces, the Committee and the public will be bombarded with unproven and often contradictory about the harms of vaping. This is based on the experience on the public hearings conducted by the PCoH of the 6th Parliament.

A survey conducted by the Dutch vaping consumer association, ACVODA, reveals that the restrictions introduced in the Netherlands have not worked as intended. From 1 January 2024, the country banned all vaping flavours except the tobacco flavour to make e-cigarettes less attractive to young people. It also banned online sales of vaping products.

With the parliament having recently revived the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, South Africa is not far from having some of the stringent smoking and vaping laws in the world. As the Vapour Products Association of South Africa (VPASA) has been arguing, the passing of the bill in its current form will be a regressive development for South Africa’s bid to reduce the number of smokers in the country. There is ample research and evidence that the quit or die approach to smoking does not yield the desired outcomes.

South Africa has a long-standing tradition of adopting harm reduction strategies to address public health crises. From the fight against HIV/AIDS to needle exchange programs, harm reduction has been pivotal in saving lives and improving health outcomes. As the country now faces the ongoing challenge of tobacco-related illnesses, it is imperative that the government embraces harm reduction in the realm of tobacco control. By doing so, government can significantly reduce smoking-related diseases and deaths, ultimately benefiting public health and saving countless lives.

In the pursuit of public health, South Africa finds itself at a critical juncture. As we grapple with the persistent challenge of tobacco use, especially amongst young people, the Vapour Products Association of South Africa (VPASA) believes government must re-evaluate its approach and learn from the successes of other nations. While outright bans might be well-intentioned, they have never achieved their goals, as seen previously with several industries.

The 10th Congress of the Parties (COP10) of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has come and gone and its outcomes are not surprising. Again, cherry picking of studies and “evidence” in favour of tougher regulatory measures on smoking was the order of the day.

In early January, there were reports of a 30-year-old man from Mafikeng, North West, who was hospitalised after he suffered complications from excessive smoking of a hookah pipe, commonly known as hubbly bubbly. Reports stated that the man suffered a stroke and was found to have a hole in his lung.

Vaping has become an increasingly divisive issue in recent years throughout the globe, including in South Africa, particularly when it comes to youth vaping. As Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health moves to process the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control (TPEDSC) Bill, it is crucial to dispel exaggerated narratives and to approach this issue with factual information.

Johannesburg – Amid much gloating and self-congratulations, the Department of Health finally briefed the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health on the much-awaited Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill.

The South African government has taken one step closer to enacting a law to regulate the sale and use of Electronic Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENNDS) commonly referred to as vapour products.

Government’s proposed Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control (TPEDSC) Bill is currently before Parliament, as it surges forward with its intention to regulate vapour products in the same manner as traditional tobacco products.

Without struggle, there is no progress. As the year 2022 reaches its end, the vaping industry in South Africa had to contend with regulatory challenges that will have a bearing on the future of the industry.

There is ongoing debate about nicotine’s uses and you may still be unsure whether or not it is harmful to your health. However, studies from hundreds of researchers and the improved health of vapers across the world prove otherwise.

Despite the widespread availability of evidence proving the efficacy of electronic vapour products (EVPs) as an effective tool for those looking for a less harmful alternative to ultimately quit should they wish, there have been several claims stating this to not be the case.

Youth month, commemorated during June in South Africa, not only provides the country an opportunity to reflect on past events and sacrifices, but to also ponder on current hurdles and challenges faced by young people.

Discussions around the appropriate regulation of electronic vaping products (EVPs) have constantly seen regulators claim that not enough is known about these products, owing to the vaping industry being relatively young.

On 15 December 2021, National Treasury published its discussion paper titled “Taxation of Electronic Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems”, outlining its proposal for the taxation of Electronic Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS/ENNDS) in South Africa.

In a bid to reduce smoking rates in South Africa, the Department of Health(DoH) published the draft Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (COTPENDS) Bill in May 2018, for public comment.