Read articles from Africa

September 01, 2023 by biomedcentral.com

Electronic cigarette use has surged internationally in recent years, with numerous countries noting an uptick in users. Despite this, the portrayal of e-cigarette usage in African news remains unclear. This research investigates the subject, employing a mixed-methodology approach. The study units were news articles on electronic cigarette use retrieved from AllAfrica, an online African news archive. [...]

August 30, 2023 by businesstech.co.za

While all parties agree smoking and vaping should be regulated in South Africa, a significant industry player is contesting the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill in its current form. Multinational tobacco company Philip Morris South Africa (PMSA) is pushing back strongly against the bill, saying that’s proposed laws lack nuance and scientific justification – to the extent that they are irrational.

August 29, 2023 by sokodirectory.com

World Lung Cancer Day on August 1 served as a stark reminder of the devastating impact that lung cancer has on millions of lives worldwide. It was a day to reinforce the global resolve to combat this formidable disease, but it also exposed a troubling paradox. Just as efforts were being made to raise awareness and find solutions to combat lung cancer, some misguided activists in Kenya were using the moment to advocate for tighter restrictions on nicotine products that offer smokers their best chance of avoiding the disease.

August 25, 2023 by businesstech.co.za

The Portfolio Committee on Health has hosted the first in-person public hearings on the new Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, with the public expressing mixed sentiments over the proposed changes. The proposed laws have received widespread condemnation from industry experts, with many warning that (...)

August 23, 2023 by businesslive.co.za

The latest tobacco control bill offers no mention of — let alone a solution to — the rampant illicit trade that accounts for almost three-quarters of all cigarette sales in SA today.

Therefore, if enacted, the bill will have no effect on tobacco "control" other than to push the market further under the control of the kingpins in organised crime.

August 21, 2023 by businesstech.co.za

The new Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill could lead to a decline in tax revenues, hurting the already embattled South African fiscus. The Bill aims to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use and nicotine dependence in South Africa.

August 10, 2023 by southafricatoday.net

The 10th Conference of the Parties (COP) convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) will be taking place in November 2023 to discuss the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The COP will discuss updates to the approach taken by member states in implementing the FCTC. “It is an appropriate time for leaders in South Africa and elsewhere to indicate the inappropriate stance of WHO and regulators in not supporting the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDs),” says award-winning pharmacological healthcare consultant, Professor Praneet Valodia. “The WHO has an obligation to support smokers and save lives.”

August 07, 2023 by reuters.com

Malawi's sales of tobacco, its biggest foreign exchange earner, increased to roughly $282 million in the latest season, up from $182 million a year earlier, its industry regulator said. Dwindling tobacco revenues in recent years have contributed to acute dollar shortages that have resulted in a lack of imported fuel, fertiliser and medicines in the donor-dependent southern African country. Malawi has turned to the International Monetary Fund for financial support and launched debt restructuring talks with creditors.

August 03, 2023 by theconversation.com

Throughout the world, governments impose excise taxes on products like alcohol and tobacco to reduce their demand. The South African government has implemented a tax on vaping products for the same reason. Reducing demand is necessary as there is growing evidence that vaping products are not harmless. The new vaping tax has enraged vaping lobby groups and vaping manufacturers. The vaping industry argues that e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes. It also claims that the tax will spawn an illicit industry, that people will go back to smoking traditional cigarettes, and the tax will not dissuade the youth from starting vaping.

July 20, 2023 by kbc.co.ke

Now misinformation about alternative nicotine products, such as vapes and nicotine pouches, also threatens to result in unnecessary premature deaths. Fortunately, by acknowledging the overwhelming scientific evidence that shows the lifesaving potential of these products, we can make informed decisions to shape a healthier future for those adults who wish to quit smoking. Much of the misperception problem in Kenya lies in conflating tobacco and nicotine. Far too many people regard them as one and the same. Yet reputable scientists widely acknowledge that most of the harm associated with conventional cigarettes is caused by the toxicants in the smoke produced by the burning of tobacco. [...]