Market & legal data of the tobacco alternative sector in Africa

4th November 2024: South Africa: The Portfolio Committee on Health has resumed public hearings on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, which aims to regulate the sale, advertising and packaging of tobacco products and e-cigarettes. The hearings are taking place in the provinces that were not reached by the previous parliament. Following the public participation, which is scheduled to end on 10th November, the committee will review all public submissions and engage with organisations that made written submissions.
25th October 2024: South Africa: Yesterday (24th October), the Portfolio Committee on Health met with the Department of Health to discuss the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, which aims to regulate the sale, advertising and packaging of tobacco products and e-cigarettes. Members of the committee questioned why the bill does not differentiate between the levels of harm posed by different nicotine-containing products and why harm reduction approaches are not applied to tobacco in the same way as for other substances. The committee will conduct a public consultation with stakeholders, but specific details were not disclosed.
18th October 2024: Egypt: The Ministry of Health has issued a warning against electronic smoking, saying it increases the risk of heart attacks and lung infections within 24 hours of usage.
14th October 2024: Algeria: The Finance Bill for the fiscal year 2025 has been presented to the parliament. Under the proposed bill, corporate entities producing oral tobacco will be subject to a tax on corporate profits at a rate of 20%. The tax on corporate profits is levied on the net profits of enterprises during the accounting period.
7th October 2024: Egypt: The Ministry of Health has released a series of warnings about the dangers of tobacco use, saying that the use of inhalable tobacco products and chewing tobacco can harm dental health. The ministry also highlighted that exposure to tobacco smoke poses severe risks to children, including childhood cancer, reduced physical growth, pneumonia, bronchitis, increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, ear infections, and decreased lung function.
1st October 2024: Morocco: Authenticity and Modernity Party member of parliament (MP) Abdellatif Al Zaim has submitted a written question to the minister of industry and commerce about the measures the ministry will take to halt tobacco companies’ intensive promotion of alternative tobacco products. He highlighted that tobacco companies market these products as safe alternatives to traditional cigarettes but that research has not confirmed these products are less harmful than traditional cigarettes.
10th September 2024: South Africa: Last Wednesday (4th September), the Portfolio Committee on Health deliberated on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill. Deputy minister of health Joe Phaahla highlighted the government’s commitment to addressing the health risks associated with tobacco use and urged the need for the bill, which aims to reduce smoking rates and protect vulnerable populations. The committee is likely to conclude public hearings in the last two remaining provinces, where hearings have not yet been held.
29th August 2024: South Africa: The Department of Health said it will reintroduce the Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery System Bill to Parliament on 4th September 2024, press reports. The bill aims to regulate the sale, advertising and packaging of tobacco products and e-cigarettes. The Portfolio Committee on Health said it hoped to process the new law quickly, starting from where it left off. The public participation process in the provinces will be completed before moving on to public hearings in Parliament.
27th August 2024: Egypt: The Customs Authority has released circular 47/2024, clarifying that the health insurance tax is paid to the Customs Authority for imported tobacco products and to the Large Tax Payer Center of the Tax Authority for local products. According to law 2/2018, a health insurance fee of 10% of the retail selling price is levied on heated tobacco.
14th August 2024: South Africa: The Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, which would regulate the sale, advertising and packaging of tobacco products and e-cigarettes, has been revived by Parliament for further processing and is on the agenda of the new government, press reports. The bill was introduced in Parliament in 2022 and public hearings were held in the country before the elections.
17th June 2024: South Africa: Cyril Ramaphosa, who has been in power since 2018, has been re-elected as president after his party, the African National Congress (ANC), reached a coalition deal with the centre-right Democratic Alliance, press reports. The deal might have an impact on the tobacco and vaping industry since the ANC has lost its parliamentary majority and the Democratic Alliance does not support the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, arguing that the bill is “unreasonable” and the focus must shift to the eradication of the illicit tobacco trade.
4th June 2024: South Africa: After counting the votes from last week’s elections, the current ruling African National Congress Party (ANC) only garnered 40.2% of the votes and has lost its majority in the National Assembly, press reports. The parties have two weeks to elect a president and form a coalition government. It is unclear if a weakened ANC would mean a shift in the positioning of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. The Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, which aims to regulate the sale, advertising and packaging of tobacco products and e-cigarettes and is currently being debated in the National Assembly, will have to be resumed in the new government.

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