VPA South Africa

Responsible marketing matters—especially when regulations are lacking. Protecting the youth is a priority! Here are key principles from the Advertising Code we adopted with the @ARB_SouthAfrica. You can find the entire code here: arb.org.za/assets/lappend… @HealthZA @MRCza…

Vaping flavours are enablers of the transition from combustible tobacco. The actual business challenge is in the packaging that uses flavours that shout for attention, display cartoon characters or childlike treats. These practices are unacceptable and attract the wrong…

How does vaping assist adult smokers to quit smoking? Vapour products are a gateway out of smoking and proven to be more effective in helping people transition than nicotine replacement therapy and e-cigarettes without nicotine. Share your thoughts on what strategies you think…

Could vapour products be the game-changer: A Gateway OUT of Smoking? More and more studies show people using e-cigarettes are more likely to achieve complete abstinence from combustible cigarettes. Crucially, there's no evidence supporting vaping as a gateway to smoking…

OPINION | SA needs a people-centred approach to tobacco control – not punishment or stigma news24.com/opinions/colum… via @News24 "Legislation, then, that does incorporate harm reduction, can itself create harm". - Monique Marks @HealthZA @SAQuitline @satfyf2030 @MRCza @The_DSD

ICYMI: Are youth vaping rates rising? Industry reacts to the tobacco control bill “It is quite clear that we are worlds apart in terms of agreeing on the science. We need to find a middle ground, and in finding a middle ground, Parliament ought to commission a credible…

June was a big month for the vaping industry, especially when it comes to pushing for fair and balanced regulation. Here’s a quick roundup of what’s been happening - VPASA June 2025 Newsletter mailchi.mp/vpasa/june2025…

Is it true that less harmful nicotine products are challenging the dominance of burning cigarettes? Our CEO, Asanda Gcoyi, spoke as a panelist at the prestigious Global Forum on Nicotine in Warsaw! The panel discussion was around 'Innovation and regulation - shaping the…

The history of harm reduction as a public health strategy dates back decades – is this still relevant today? Harm reduction's roots lie in a desperate fight against a deadly foe: the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. Faced with a devastating public health crisis, pioneers quickly…

A Three-Dimensional Framework in Tobacco Control Imagine a public health strategy that zeroes in on an ideal "sweet spot" for less harmful nicotine products. This framework aims for an optimal point where the health risks are significantly low, yet the product remains effective…

Nicotine Fact: Nicotine is a chemical that occurs naturally and is even found in vegetables. Although addictive, it is not the cause of tobacco-related disease; the toxic chemicals released with the smoke when burning tobacco cause disease. Vapour products on the other hand,…

What is the purpose of flavours in Vapour products? The role of flavours is critical; regulators should focus on how these flavours are described and marketed, especially to guide adult smokers looking to transition. Regulation of flavour descriptors and marketing practices will…

Is Harm Reduction an industry tactic or a means to a tobacco-harm free future? Harm reduction is about making smart, practical choices by focusing on reducing health risks, providing people with risk reduced products. It’s about giving individuals options to move away from the…

Supporting a Tobacco-Free World is an industry wide priority! Food for thought - what if risk-reduced nicotine products are a powerful tool to achieve a tobacco-free world? It is not about impeding the World Health Organization's (WHO) Tobacco Free World objectives, but to…

The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction Report 2024: Providing world-wide data. The report states that under a harm reduction approach for tobacco, when full nicotine abstinence is not achievable, substituting alternative nicotine products (SNPs) for traditional smoking…

ICYMI: Some insights from the CEO of @Vaperite_SA, Mr Barry Buchman and a proud VPASA Member from the Oral Submissions to the Portfolio Committee on Health on the TPEDSC Bill where he emphasized that the proposed regulations are “a direct threat to the legal vape industry.”…

Did you know that vapour products are available through various channels, including online vendors, the FMCG industry and not solely through specialized vape stores? This indicates that preventing youth access is not just our responsibility; it requires a collaborative effort…

ICYMI: A quote from VPASA's Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Health “We wouldn’t have started youth initiatives as early as 2021 and done what we have done if we didn’t care about this area [youth]. We responded appropriately and we launched the YAP [youth access…

Our guidelines place a major emphasis on marketing with meaning and connecting with care through packaging designs that speak to adult smokers only. We advise against the use of characters designs that may entice and attract youth. What are your thoughts on such packaging? Let's…

In the absence of regulations in the industry, VPASA has become self-regulatory so youth is protected and adult smokers continue to have access to less-harmful alternatives to hazardous combustible tobacco until law becomes enforceable. Look out for this signage and engage with…

Our random Mystery Shopper campaign extends across all member stores nationwide to ensure compliance with industry code of conduct. This process highlights areas for improvement—another step in our commitment to preventing youth access to vapour products. #YouthProtection…