SA Liquor Traders Raise Concerns Over New Tobacco & Vape Bill

South Africa vape Tobacco Bill

Liquor traders in South Africa are raising concerns about the significant business impact of the new Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill currently being processed by the Department of Health. The bill proposes a complete ban on all indoor smoking and vaping, and also restricts use in certain outdoor areas, a move that traders say will be costly and difficult to implement.

The Gauteng Liquor Traders Association (GLTA) highlighted that the new laws would require establishments like restaurants, bars, and taverns to make structural changes and police customer behavior. A particularly unworkable provision, they argue, is the requirement for outdoor smoking areas to be a prescribed distance from entrances (previously suggested at 10 meters), which is impossible to implement in dense township environments.

While larger companies may be able to absorb the costs of restructuring, the GLTA warns that smaller businesses, especially in informal settlements and townships, will bear the brunt of these changes. The bill also includes a ban on advertising displays for tobacco and vape products, introduces new controls for e-cigarettes, and mandates standardized packaging.

Matthew Ma
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