The vape industry slams a new tobacco law "moralizing"

Vaping activists say the latest tobacco bill is ignorant and not based on scientific evidence. The vaping industry says it wants to be seen as a partner in South Africa's health program because it's safer than smoking.

The African Harm Reduction Alliance (AHRA) says its intention is to give a simple message to people who want to quit.

Dr. Delon Human, co-founder of the AHRA and President of the Diplomats of Health treat electronic cigarettes in the same way as tobacco products, falsely confuse vaping with smoking tobacco and, mistakenly , attribute the rise of the vaping industry to the tobacco companies.

In May, the cabinet approved the tobacco control project. Bill on electronic products and delivery systems, which proposes a ban on smoking in all public buildings – and within 10 meters of buildings. He also advocates for plain packaging with pictorial health warnings and a ban on smoking in private cars carrying passengers.

The bill extends the definition of smoking to electronic dispensing systems (electronic cigarettes) and non-heat-burning tobacco products.

According to Human, who says that AHRA is an independent organization that does not endorse any industrial product Vape and electronic cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes.

"Vape and e-cigarettes have the potential to prevent tobacco-related illnesses and save hundreds of millions of lives from premature death. For the good of the population and individual health, it is imperative that vaping be recognized as an alternative to tobacco products in the broader context of tobacco harm reduction. " Earlier this year, Dr. Stanton Glantz of the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) found that "while e-cigarettes deliver lower levels of carcinogens than conventional cigarettes, they also expose users to high levels of fine particles and other toxins related to increased cardiovascular and non-cancer risks – accounting for more than half of the deaths caused by smoking. "

Researchers at the Center for Tobacco Research from the UCSF have stated that a smoking cessation aid, but for most people it is harder to quit because they end up as "dual users" who continue to smoke while using drugs. Electronic cigarettes.

Dr. Kgosi Letlape, co-founder of the HRA, said the current bill was based on 2015 information and was taking a moralistic stance. "As a health advocate, I'm targeting smokers, I'm not trying to open a market for new smokers or vapers, and because you're targeting a particular population, it should not be be difficult to talk about adding new information to this bill. "- Health-e News