Yes
Established through the Tobacco Products Control Act 83 of 1993, South Africa has a ban on tobacco advertisments and smoking in public places. Amended in 2008, the act increased the age of sale from 16 to 18 years old and banned tobacco sales at health and educational establishments. Smokeless tobacco and heat-not-burn products are regulated as tobacco products, but e-cigarettes are not specifically prohibited by legislation and are subject to medical regulations. However, in practice, this is not strongly regulated, and vaping products are widely available.
Tobacco use has steadily declined, although the illegal sale of cigarettes remains prevalent as a means to fulfill consumer demand for cheaper products. South African media covers these issues and a growing consumer interest in vaping and other alternatives.
An increasing number of consumers have expressed interest in safer alternatives to cigarettes. This trend has been most noticeable among millennial smokers.
“We have a very strong anti-tobacco campaign in this country, but moving people to quitting is hindered by people’s perceptions about what smoking does.”
Emerging scientific evidence supporting the use of e-cigarettes to aide in harm reduction continues to be a topic of debate. Adding clarity to the emotional discourse as presented by @sciencemagazine is a step in the right direction. http://bit.ly/2PFJeGf
. @Avesthagen, a systems biology life sciences company, just announced the acceleration of its Avestagenome Project. Their research focuses on the Indian & Parsi communities to understand the role of smoking in developing lung, oral & esophageal cancers: https://prn.to/35jgPwc
Sub-Saharan African countries have become home to five of the top tobacco producing countries, including #Malawi where tobacco exports contributed to 59% of total merchandise export earnings. Read about the impact on local economies and trade shifts. http://bit.ly/2NytTpP
Congratulations to ATI advisory board member & @StellenboschUni Prof. Umezuruike Linus Opara for being named one of the 2019 Highly Cited Researchers from the @webofscience Group. Learn more on Prof. Linus Opara here: http://bit.ly/2t6Hiz5
As the year draws to a close, we invite you to hear from the researchers working to end smoking in this generation. Watch the video to learn about projects that range from harm reduction among indigenous people to innovation in smoking cessation treatment. http://bit.ly/33hyBOW
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