Future of SA’s vaping industry is hazy
A proposed tobacco control law contains provisions that subject e-cigarettes to the same strictures as traditional products, with tight control on their use and sales
The government’s proposed new laws for tobacco control threaten the future of the vaping industry and will put jobs at risk, the Vapour Product Association (VPA) said on Thursday. The draft Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill proposes bringing e-cigarettes into the regulatory net for the first time. It contains provisions that subject e-cigarettes to the same strictures as traditional tobacco products, with tight control on their use, marketing and sales. The public comment period for the bill closes on August 9. "As it stands, the bill will ban any form of marketing or communication with retailers and even prohibit [vaping] retailers from showing their products in their own shops. The reality is millions of smokers who might switch to safer alternatives will just keep smoking and dying instead as a result of this new law," said VPA CEO Zodwa Velleman. The VPA represents manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers of smoke-free vapour products. "Vaping pro...
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