Claims about e-cigarettes are merely a smokescreen. Picture: Reuters/David Mercado
There was an uptick in sponsored content material from the tobacco and vaping {industry} claiming that the decline in smoking charges in South Africa will be attributed to “various tobacco-free nicotine merchandise”. Articles state that these merchandise are driving public well being beneficial properties by offering people who smoke with extra satisfying alternate options to conventional cessation aids. This unfaithful narrative is a blatant try to mislead the general public.
The tobacco and vaping {industry}’s claims surrounding a decline in smoking in South Africa are an elaborate smoke-screen designed to shift blame and promote merchandise.
Taking credit score for fewer folks smoking is a brand new {industry} tactic being employed globally by the e-cigarette {industry}, which incorporates massive tobacco firms. What we see here’s a textbook instance of tobacco {industry} technique. They goal to distort public well being victories and take credit score for traits they’d nothing to do with. That is a part of a broader, international technique to rehabilitate their picture by selling “harm-reduction” narratives. Their techniques are designed to obscure the truth that these merchandise should not decreasing nicotine habit, however perpetuating it.
Smoking decline started nicely earlier than nicotine alternate options
The information paint a really totally different image. South Africa skilled its most vital decline in smoking prevalence between 1993 and 2003, nicely earlier than e-cigarettes or nicotine pouches entered the market.
Throughout that interval, smoking prevalence dropped largely as a result of implementation of strong tobacco management insurance policies, akin to larger taxes, promoting bans and restrictions on smoking in indoor public locations. For instance, smoking charges amongst males fell from 42% in 1998 to 35% in 2003.
Total charges fell as little as about 16% in 2010, however this began growing within the early 2010s to 2020s with the re-emergence of merchandise like hookahs and the appearance of e-cigarettes, which have been closely marketed to younger folks and never adequately lined by the legislation. Notably, these adjustments have been pushed by the federal government’s dedication to defending public well being and the efforts of public well being advocates — not by tobacco firms with novel merchandise, which have been non-existent.
Opposite to the {industry}’s claims, proof exhibits that the introduction of e-cigarettes to South Africa, which has been tracked since about 2010, didn’t maintain or speed up this downward development. If something, there was a regarding reversal. Because the introduction of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, smoking prevalence has truly elevated. Positive aspects that have been painstakingly achieved over many years of tobacco management efforts are being rolled again.
Whereas the share of people who smoke within the inhabitants has appeared to plateau, inhabitants progress has brought about the precise variety of people who smoke to rise. Alarmingly, smoking charges amongst younger folks — particularly younger girls — have both elevated or shifted in the direction of new merchandise like e-cigarettes and waterpipes.
Latest South African Medical Analysis Council analysis highlights the rising prevalence of smoking and twin use of cigarettes and various nicotine merchandise in South Africa. Twin use — when people use each conventional and “various” nicotine merchandise — undermines the effectiveness of current tobacco management measures and has been proven to be extra dangerous than utilizing both product.
The {industry} is just discovering new methods to hook folks into nicotine habit whereas claiming to supply options.
Addressing sponsored misinformation
The tobacco {industry}’s declare of driving the discount in smoking isn’t solely false but in addition harmful as a result of it misleads policymakers and the general public, making a false sense of progress.
Moderately than aiding tobacco management efforts, the supply of latest nicotine merchandise has diversified addictive nicotine consumption and allowed the tobacco {industry} to keep up its income whereas evading laws as a result of in lots of jurisdictions, akin to South Africa, it takes a very long time to convey these merchandise beneath any legislative framework. Understanding this, markets grow to be flooded with these merchandise and advertising largely goes unrestricted earlier than they are often correctly regulated.
When inaccurate or deceptive sponsored content material is revealed, it has severe penalties. It undermines public belief and hampers knowledgeable decision-making for coverage and public well being. Credibility is essential in shaping public notion and these misleading techniques threat derailing years of evidence-based tobacco management advocacy. Transparency legal guidelines needs to be enforced to make sure that customers and policymakers should not misled by industry-funded pseudo-science.
Hold the give attention to accountability
This yr’s World No Tobacco Day theme “unmasking the attraction: exposing Business techniques on tobacco and nicotine merchandise” focuses on revealing how the {industry} manipulates and misleads the general public. Efforts by analysis organisations, public well being advocates and coalitions akin to Defend Our Subsequent are important in exposing these techniques in South Africa.
Coverage measures akin to elevated taxation on tobacco and various merchandise; complete promoting bans and stringent insurance policies to stop youths smoking, many contained within the Tobacco Merchandise and Digital Supply Programs Management Invoice, should stay central to decreasing smoking prevalence. It’s time to name out {industry} manipulation for what it’s — a direct menace to public well being — and maintain them accountable for his or her function in perpetuating misinformation.
The South African Pharmacy Council’s latest transfer to ban the sale of e-cigarettes in all pharmacies within the nation has been praised by public well being advocates, together with Defend Our Subsequent. This choice highlights the rising concern over the unregulated availability of e-cigarette merchandise and their influence on youth and public well being.
Defend Our Subsequent has additional emphasised the need for proactive measures, akin to tighter laws and complete enforcement, to curb the rise of e-cigarette use amongst younger folks and safeguard group well being.
The 2025 World No Tobacco Day marketing campaign goals to boost consciousness and advocate for stricter insurance policies — like banning flavours and digital promoting — to scale back demand, particularly among the many youth. By exposing these techniques, we are able to work in the direction of a more healthy, extra knowledgeable and tobacco-free future. Let’s unmask the {industry}’s methods and defend public well being.
Professor Catherine Egbe is a senior specialist scientist within the Psychological Well being, Alcohol, Substance Use and Tobacco Analysis Unit on the South African Medical Analysis Council.