The World Health Organisation has lauded South Africa for its efforts in strengthening its anti-tobacco laws.

This is as the Department of health marked World No-Tobacco Day during a joint event in Midrand on 2 June.

World No-Tobacco Day falls on 31 May each year. This year’s theme is “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products,” which aims to expose how the tobacco and nicotine industries use manipulative tactics – such as appealing product designs, attractive flavours, and glamourized marketing – to target young people and mask the dangers of their highly addictive products.

New South African legislation, which is currently being debated in Parliament, intends to ban point-of-sale and direct advertising of all tobacco and vaping products, regulate e-cigarettes, and protect youth from manipulative marketing, amongst others.

WHO South Africa representative Shenaaz EL-Halabi says the government must not falter amidst tobacco industry pressure. She says a whole-of-society approach is needed to reduce smoking.

She says the WHO has also called on all countries to ban flavours in e-cigarettes, as this is being pushed to younger people.

WATCH BELOW:

The Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill in South Africa is a comprehensive piece of legislation aimed at addressing the health risks associated with tobacco and electronic nicotine delivery systems (like vapes). Here’s what the Bill intends to achieve:

1. Ban Point-of-Sale Advertising

Goal: Close a major loophole in current tobacco advertising regulations.

Why: Although traditional advertising was banned in 2001, tobacco companies have shifted to using retail point-of-sale displays with lighting and branded materials to attract attention, particularly among young people.

Evidence: These displays increase the likelihood that teens will experiment with or consider smoking.

2. Regulate E-Cigarettes and Vaping Products

Goal: Extend regulations to include electronic delivery systems like e-cigarettes and vapes, which are currently unregulated in South Africa.

Why: Vaping is rising sharply among South African teens, with aggressive marketing and flavoured products driving youth addiction.

Key Measures:

• Ban direct advertising of e-cigarettes (including at points of sale and on social media).
• Address youth exposure to influencer content and flavour-driven campaigns.

3. Protect Youth from Addictive Marketing

Goal: Combat Big Tobacco’s strategies that target young people to ensure a new generation of nicotine users.

Why: The industry depends on recruiting young people due to high mortality among lifetime users.

Approach: The Bill represents a shift from just regulating sales to disrupting predatory marketing tactics aimed at youth.

4. Treat E-Cigarettes Like Tobacco

Goal: Apply similar regulatory standards to vapes and tobacco products.

Why: Although promoted as cessation tools, e-cigarettes are addictive and harmful, especially among youth who often start with vapes and transition to cigarettes.

Summary

The Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill seeks to:

• Ban point-of-sale and direct advertising of all tobacco and vaping products.
• Regulate e-cigarettes similarly to traditional tobacco.
• Protect youth from manipulative marketing.
• Reduce youth smoking and vaping initiation.
• Challenge Big Tobacco’s efforts to maintain a foothold through emerging products and regulatory gaps.

It represents a strong public health move to end the exploitation of young people and curb the growing epidemic of nicotine addiction in South Africa.