Read articles from Africa

August 10, 2026 by punchng.com

A coalition of tobacco control organizations is pushing for the recall of the National Tobacco Control Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, stating it would weaken existing regulations and increase tobacco exposure, particularly for youths in Nigeria. They argue that the bill would relax rules on electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products, going against public health principles. Concerns also include provisions for advertising to young people and inadequate enforcement capabilities. The coalition demands transparency in the legislative process and urges alignment with public health obligations. Organizations and professionals are called upon to oppose the bill for the protection of public health.

August 10, 2026 by punchng.com

A coalition of tobacco control organizations is pushing for the recall of the National Tobacco Control Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, stating it would weaken existing regulations and increase tobacco exposure, particularly for youths in Nigeria. They argue that the bill would relax rules on electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products, going against public health principles. Concerns also include provisions for advertising to young people and inadequate enforcement capabilities. The coalition demands transparency in the legislative process and urges alignment with public health obligations. Organizations and professionals are called upon to oppose the bill for the protection of public health.

July 28, 2026 by dailyfriend.co.za

When parliament starts taking tobacco harm reduction seriously, the conversation changes. The focus can move beyond slogans about nicotine and towards the harder question of how to reduce smoking-related disease in practice. South Africa has an opportunity to build regulation that recognises the difference between combustible tobacco and lower-risk alternatives. Discovery is only the first step — the test is whether lawmakers turn evidence into proportionate policy.

July 27, 2026 by tobaccoharmreduction.net

A regulation that treats every nicotine product as equally dangerous starts from the wrong premise. South Africa’s tobacco policy should recognise that the greatest harm comes from combustion, not nicotine itself. Risk-proportionate regulation would still control access, protect young people and set product standards, but it would not make lower-risk alternatives harder to use than cigarettes. The aim should be to move smokers down the risk continuum, not trap them at the most harmful end.

July 27, 2026 by tobaccoharmreduction.net

A regulation that treats every nicotine product as equally dangerous starts from the wrong premise. South Africa’s tobacco policy should recognise that the greatest harm comes from combustion, not nicotine itself. Risk-proportionate regulation would still control access, protect young people and set product standards, but it would not make lower-risk alternatives harder to use than cigarettes. The aim should be to move smokers down the risk continuum, not trap them at the most harmful end.

July 03, 2026 by worldvapersalliance.com

Kenya’s tobacco control bill should be guided by science, not fear. Regulation must protect young people, but it should also recognise the difference between combustible cigarettes and lower-risk nicotine alternatives. If safer products are restricted too heavily, adult smokers may be left with fewer realistic options to quit. Evidence-based policy should reduce harm, preserve informed choice and keep alternatives within legal, regulated markets.

June 23, 2026 by the-star.co.ke

Smokers struggling to quit are too often left out of tobacco policy debates. Many have tried conventional methods without success, yet lower-risk alternatives are frequently restricted, stigmatised or treated like cigarettes. Harm reduction starts by recognising smokers as people who need practical options, not moral judgement. Public health should speak for those still facing the greatest risk — and help them move away from combustible tobacco.

June 18, 2026 by thrglobal.org

Before accepting dominant narratives on nicotine, the evidence deserves closer examination. Claims about vaping, youth uptake or harm reduction often become policy arguments before the data are properly tested. When evidence shows declining smoking, falling youth vaping or major differences in relative risk, public health should adjust its assumptions. Better nicotine policy starts with asking whether the narrative fits the facts.

June 18, 2026 by thrglobal.org

Before accepting dominant narratives on nicotine, the evidence deserves closer examination. Claims about vaping, youth uptake or harm reduction often become policy arguments before the data are properly tested. When evidence shows declining smoking, falling youth vaping or major differences in relative risk, public health should adjust its assumptions. Better nicotine policy starts with asking whether the narrative fits the facts.

June 08, 2026 by the-star.co.ke

Kenya’s proposed tobacco reforms are raising concerns over whether stricter regulation could unintentionally undermine public health goals. Harm reduction advocates warn that overly prohibitive measures may fuel illicit trade, increase regulatory burdens and limit access to lower-risk alternatives for adult smokers. The debate highlights the need for legislation that protects minors while recognising the role of informed choice and relative risk in nicotine policy. A more balanced approach would combine evidence-based regulation, broad consultation and realistic pathways away from combustible tobacco.