Smoking in South Africa
In South Africa, the prevalence of tobacco smoking among adults aged 15 years and older was recorded to be 20.3% in 2022. Comparatively, this prevalence was 20.2% in 2020 and 20.7% in 2019. Gender-specific data from 2022 indicate that 35.1% of males and 6.5% of females were tobacco smokers, illustrating a significant gender disparity in smoking habits. The adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence in 2021 was 21.2%, with 35.1% among males and 8.3% among females. In terms of mortality, smoking accounted for 4.42% of all deaths in 2021, with males experiencing a higher percentage (5.75%) compared to females (2.86%). The annual number of smoking-related deaths in 2021 was 32,442, including 22,817 males and 9,625 females. Additionally, the number of smokers in 2022 was approximately 8,617,084, showing an increase from 8,323,703 smokers in 2020. These statistics represent the ongoing public health challenge posed by tobacco smoking in South Africa, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to reduce smoking prevalence and related mortality.
Read articles from South Africa
June 12, 2025 by africannewsagency.com
Vaping industry calls for smarter nicotine policies as smoking rates surge in South Africa
The vaping industry in South Africa calls for smarter nicotine policies amidst rising tobacco smoking rates. Parliament is reviewing the Tobacco Bill to regulate product processing, advertising, and appearance. Vaping advocates stress the need for evidence-based nicotine policies, cessation support, and harm reduction tools like e-cigarettes. With smoking prevalence increasing, there's a call for a shift towards safer alternatives and better enforcement. The Advertising Regulatory Board supports regulating vapor products, highlighting health benefits for smokers who switch. It emphasizes clear communication of benefits while discouraging non-smokers from vaping. Collaboration with the industry led to guidelines including restrictions on marketing to minors and health claims.
June 02, 2025 by smilefm.co.za
WHO lauds South Africa for efforts in strengthening anti-tobacco laws
WHO praised South Africa for enhancing anti-tobacco laws on World No-Tobacco Day. The country aims to ban tobacco and vaping advertising, regulate e-cigarettes, and combat manipulative marketing targeting youth. The Tobacco Products Control Bill addresses health risks from tobacco and e-cigarettes by banning advertising, regulating e-cigarettes, and protecting youth from predatory marketing. The bill seeks to reduce smoking and vaping among young people and challenge Big Tobacco's strategies. Its focus is on public health and ending nicotine addiction in South Africa by closing regulatory gaps and protecting the youth.
June 02, 2025 by smilefm.co.za
WHO lauds South Africa for efforts in strengthening anti-tobacco laws
WHO praised South Africa for enhancing anti-tobacco laws on World No-Tobacco Day. The country aims to ban tobacco and vaping advertising, regulate e-cigarettes, and combat manipulative marketing targeting youth. The Tobacco Products Control Bill addresses health risks from tobacco and e-cigarettes by banning advertising, regulating e-cigarettes, and protecting youth from predatory marketing. The bill seeks to reduce smoking and vaping among young people and challenge Big Tobacco's strategies. Its focus is on public health and ending nicotine addiction in South Africa by closing regulatory gaps and protecting the youth.
March 12, 2025 by gfn.tv
GFN News #141 | SOUTH AFRICA'S MYSTERY VAPE TAX UPDATE
Mystery surrounds South Africa's upcoming budget announcement, with fiscal policies regarding vapes and tobacco products likely under scrutiny. But with little concrete information available, wihat could change in the coming weeks? Kurt Yeo joins us on GFN News to explore these regulatory changes and South Africa's current problematic approach to safer nicotine products.
March 10, 2025 by timeslive.co.za
Vaping hits alarming levels among SA teens: study of fee-paying schools
Vaping among children is on the rise, driven by enticing flavors and targeted marketing. In the US, 5.9% of students use e-cigarettes, while in the UK, 7.6% of children vape. Rates in Southeast Asia range from 3.3% to 11.8%, with little data from Africa. A recent study in The Lancet’s eClinicalMedicine found high vaping rates among South African students, based on a survey of over 25,000 pupils across eight provinces.
March 06, 2025 by theconversation.com
Vaping hits alarming levels among South African teens – new study of fee-paying schools
The growing trend of adolescent vaping, fueled by enticing flavors and targeted marketing, is a global concern. Survey data reveals high rates of e-cigarette use among adolescents in various countries, including South Africa. Research shows the harmful impact of nicotine and non-nicotine vapes on young minds and bodies, emphasizing the urgency to address this public health crisis. In South Africa, 16.8% of high school students currently vape, with rates increasing by grade. Reasons for starting and continuing vaping vary, with addiction and social influences playing key roles. Urgent actions include passing legislation to control vape sales, debunking the myth of vaping being safe, and providing support to help addicted teenagers quit.
February 27, 2025 by youtube.com
Proposed 'proportional' tax on tobacco products
As South Africa awaits the 2025 Budget Speech, tobacco product producers prepare to hear tax-related pronouncements on their industry. Vape producers and distributors are pressing for, what they say, is the need for a balanced approach to tobacco taxation. They say policymakers should consider using taxation to influence behavior and tax tobacco products in proportion to their harm. Co-Founder at Vaping Saved My Life, Kurt Yeo, joins us for more.
February 05, 2025 by ecigintelligence.com
South African E-Cig Companies on Youth Vaping Concerns vs Adult Harm Reduction
Vaping companies face ethical and legal challenges as they navigate an increasingly complex market and attempt to grow market share without attracting accusations that they are exacerbating the youth vaping epidemic. This is particularly true in developing markets, where tobacco and vaping products can be more equivalent in price. One example is South Africa, where a recent study from (...)
November 08, 2024 by clearingtheair.eu
Voices of Harm Reduction Pt 6: Kurt Yeo
Kurt Yeo founded Vaping Saved My Life in 2017 to share ex-smokers' success stories in South Africa. He switched to vaping after a 20-year smoking habit and losing his father to smoking-related issues. Despite facing misinformation, he persisted in helping others quit smoking through vaping. The vaping community in South Africa began to develop after products were imported from Europe and the US. Kurt's advocacy work expanded through the testimonial portal, which now has 720 testimonials. He highlights the lack of organized cessation help in South Africa and emphasizes the need to support smokers wanting to quit.
July 11, 2024 by tobaccoreporter.com
The Way Forward
Prioritizing evidence-based harm reduction strategies for smoking can enhance healthcare by reducing health risks and offering safer alternatives. These strategies, proven effective in addressing drug use and HIV, can also benefit tobacco users. With over a billion smokers worldwide, South Africa faces significant health and economic consequences due to smoking. Harm reduction tools like nicotine-replacement products and noncombustible alternatives show promise in saving lives. While encouraging smoking cessation is ideal, harm reduction strategies cater to those who struggle to quit. Despite opposition, focusing on harm reduction in public health education and healthcare delivery is crucial for promoting healthier behaviors like smoking cessation.
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