Prof Lekan Ayo-Yusuf Warns Tobacco Control Bill Delays Are Fueling South Africa’s Vaping Crisis

South Africa’s worsening vaping crisis is being made far worse by continued delays to the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, according to public health expert Prof Lekan Ayo-Yusuf.

Prof Ayo-Yusuf said Parliament has shown “no sense of urgency” in finalising the proposed tobacco control bill, despite rising electronic cigarette (e-cigarettes) among young people and mounting evidence of nicotine addiction and harm.

The bill, first drafted in 2018 and reintroduced in 2022, is intended to regulate both traditional tobacco products and newer devices such as e-cigarettes. However, Prof Ayo-Yusuf warned that slow parliamentary processes means it could still take another year or more before being passed.

Prof Ayo-Yusuf expressed his dissappointment at lawmakers for allowing discussions to drag on for years while the vaping industry continues to operate in what he described as a “regulatory vacuum”.

He explained that these delays effectively benefit tobacco and vaping companies, giving them space to aggressively market addictive products while protections for children and communities remain stalled.

The proposed legislation aims to strengthen public health safeguards across South Africa, but progress has been slowed by competing political priorities, misinformation, and a lack of political will.

Health advocates warn that every delay increases the risk of a new generation becoming dependent on nicotine, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive regulation. Read More