New vaping regulations proposed for South Africa

Looks like I picked the wrong time to quit smoking. That line, uttered by the late great Lloyd Bridges, is one of the most quoted from the 1980 comedy classic Airplane! It is also one that resonates right now, with stress and anxiety at record levels due to the effects of the ongoing pandemic.  

However, South African smokers are increasingly getting the feeling that this is a decision being taken out of their hands. 

The shift to vaping 

That sort of step is going to need the complete backing of the general public if it is to succeed. It also requires there to be some sort of viable alternative for the thousands of South Africans who are addicted to nicotine.  

On the face of it, e-cigarettes seem to be the obvious answer here. While other cigarette alternatives proved to be flashes in the pan, vaping is the real deal. You are as likely to see someone with a vape pen as a cigarette these days, and with herbal, fruit flavoured or CBD vape juice also available, vaping can even wean smokers away from harmful nicotine entirely.  

These factors make it all the more strange that the government has also chosen this moment to propose legislation that will put significant curbs on vaping.  

A “legislative vacuum” 

The debate centres around proposals for a bill on the Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems, which the Department on Health aims to put before the cabinet by the end of December. Savera Kalideen is one of the nation’s most vocal anti-smoking campaigners, and heads up the National Council Against Smoking (NCAS). She says the industry is currently operating in a “legislative vacuum” and that better regulation is essential to protect the health of South Africans, especially in these challenging times.  

Deputy Health Minister Joe Phaala explained that the draft bill is almost complete and that as well as pushing forward the ban on cigarette smoking in public areas, it will also bring stronger regulation to the vaping industry. The exact shape that this will take is still to be clarified, but it is worth noting that restrictions on certain types of vape juice that have been introduced in the USA resulted in something of an own goal.  

There, the state of Maryland banned flavoured disposable vapes in what proved to be a controversial move. Outlawing menthol vape juice in a nation where menthol cigarettes are still widely available had the bizarre impact of driving some vapers back to lighting up traditional cigarettes.  

A significant impact 

There are around seven million smokers in South Africa. That represents more than 20 percent of the adult population. The health authorities are right to prioritise measures to reduce this number. However, quitting the habit is not easy, and needs encouragement and support as opposed to draconian legislation. Vaping clearly has a role to play here, and if it is to have the desired outcome, the new legislation needs to be alive to this fact.