SA sees rising smoking and vaping rates
South Africa faces a dual crisis with rising cigarette smoking and unchecked vaping among youth due to outdated laws and regulatory gaps.Summary
World No Tobacco Day highlights tobacco's devastating impact, noting that while global progress is being made against combustible tobacco, the industry is aggressively targeting young people with new products like e-cigarettes. South Africa is moving in the wrong direction, with smoking prevalence rising and vaping rates among high school learners reaching nearly 17%. This situation is exacerbated by an outdated legal framework and a regulatory vacuum for e-cigarettes. The government's failure to implement effective excise taxes and combat illicit markets has left cigarettes affordable and accessible. A stalled bill to modernise tobacco laws is opposed by the industry, raising questions about whether the government will prioritise public health over industry profits.
(Source：Daily Maverick)
