Safer But Unavailable: Why Are Nicotine Pouches And Vapes Out Of Reach For African Smokers?
April 09, 2025 by sokodirectory.com
Safer But Unavailable: Why Are Nicotine Pouches And Vapes Out Of Reach For African Smokers?
In Africa, limited access to safer nicotine alternatives like vaping devices persists due to bans, high prices, and unavailability, in contrast to other regions embracing harm reduction. Global tobacco companies prioritize Western markets, allocating less than 5% of investments to Africa, where regulations often mirror outdated prohibition-style policies, hindering access and affordability. The absence of local production facilities results in heavy import costs, making products like nicotine pouches and vapes expensive for the average smoker. Lack of regulatory clarity exacerbates the situation, pushing products into informal markets. To reduce tobacco-related deaths, policymakers and the private sector must prioritize improving accessibility and affordability of harm reduction products in Africa.
