The Vapour Product Association (VPA) has taken note of the publication of the Bill for consultation. We are surprised that the Ministry has taken the route of over-regulation before engaging with the industry and especially in understanding the benefits that vaping continues to give to millions across the world, including its' own citizens.
Our first read of the Bill shows clearly that the vaping industry could very well disappear.
The measures proposed will in effect make it harder for a consumer to vape in South Africa than it is to smoke. Ultimately, this will halt current smokers and reverse existing vapers from starting or continuing the use of a scientifically proven harm-reduced product.
Although the need for separate legislation regarding e-cigarettes and vaping has never been more urgent, it is crucial that regulation is based on sound empirical evidence. As far as we are aware, no such study has been conducted in South Africa.
The irony in trying to categorise vaping products as the same as those of tobacco is that both electronic devices and vapours are treated as tobacco products, although they contain no tobacco whatsoever.
“In fact,” says Kabir Kaleechurn, Director of the VPA, “the two processes are entirely different. Tobacco smoking relies on the burning of tobacco, the cause of all cigarette-smoking health risks whilst vaping relies on a gentle heating process to deliver its nicotine".
Vaping has saved more than 2.9 million smokers in the UK (a country that has embedded vaping as a harm-reduced product in its law) and we have in South Africa the opportunity to create a smoke free country, should we receive an appropriate set of regulations.
“The Vaping Industry needs to be considered as a partner to the health agenda in South Africa. Should all smokers move to harm-reduced vaping products, the impact is bound to be extremely positive from a Non-Communicable Diseases point of view. This has proved to be the case in the US, UK, Germany, France and other members of the EU. It is our duty to ensure that we provide a safer alternative to the millions of smokers in the country” he says.
In South Africa, members of the VPA have proactively been adhering to their own code of conduct. We voluntarily have committed ourselves to not selling the product to and by people under the age of 18.
We are going through the Bill and will present our consolidated views to the vaping community in South Africa and at the same time we are gearing up for national campaign to explain the unintended consequences of this very heavy-handed Bill.
Simply put, this Bill as is, has more possibilities of eliminating the industry that has saved so many from the tobacco epidemic, with the simple strike of a pen.
We are urging all vapers in the country to go on the VPA website and submit their testimonials.
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Our first read of the Bill shows clearly that the vaping industry could very well disappear.
The measures proposed will in effect make it harder for a consumer to vape in South Africa than it is to smoke. Ultimately, this will halt current smokers and reverse existing vapers from starting or continuing the use of a scientifically proven harm-reduced product.
Although the need for separate legislation regarding e-cigarettes and vaping has never been more urgent, it is crucial that regulation is based on sound empirical evidence. As far as we are aware, no such study has been conducted in South Africa.
The irony in trying to categorise vaping products as the same as those of tobacco is that both electronic devices and vapours are treated as tobacco products, although they contain no tobacco whatsoever.
“In fact,” says Kabir Kaleechurn, Director of the VPA, “the two processes are entirely different. Tobacco smoking relies on the burning of tobacco, the cause of all cigarette-smoking health risks whilst vaping relies on a gentle heating process to deliver its nicotine".
Vaping has saved more than 2.9 million smokers in the UK (a country that has embedded vaping as a harm-reduced product in its law) and we have in South Africa the opportunity to create a smoke free country, should we receive an appropriate set of regulations.
“The Vaping Industry needs to be considered as a partner to the health agenda in South Africa. Should all smokers move to harm-reduced vaping products, the impact is bound to be extremely positive from a Non-Communicable Diseases point of view. This has proved to be the case in the US, UK, Germany, France and other members of the EU. It is our duty to ensure that we provide a safer alternative to the millions of smokers in the country” he says.
In South Africa, members of the VPA have proactively been adhering to their own code of conduct. We voluntarily have committed ourselves to not selling the product to and by people under the age of 18.
We are going through the Bill and will present our consolidated views to the vaping community in South Africa and at the same time we are gearing up for national campaign to explain the unintended consequences of this very heavy-handed Bill.
Simply put, this Bill as is, has more possibilities of eliminating the industry that has saved so many from the tobacco epidemic, with the simple strike of a pen.
We are urging all vapers in the country to go on the VPA website and submit their testimonials.
Ends//
