South Africa’s proposed vaping and cigarette restrictions have moved one step closer in Parliament.
The Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill received majority support from the Portfolio Committee on Health on Wednesday afternoon.
The vote does not make the Bill law yet. It allows the Bill to move into detailed clause-by-clause discussions, where MPs will consider possible amendments.
Ten votes from the ANC, DA, ActionSA, EFF and MK Party supported the desirability of the Bill. The Freedom Front Plus was the only party to vote against it.
In its current form, the Bill seeks to tighten rules around smoking and vaping.
It proposes banning indoor smoking and vaping in public spaces. It also includes plain packaging with graphic health warnings, the removal of retail product displays and a ban on advertising, sponsorships and promotions for tobacco and e-cigarette products.
The Bill also restricts sales through vending machines, including in certain private spaces where children or non-smokers are present.
Vaping products are currently treated in the same way as traditional cigarettes under the Bill. Proposed penalties include lengthy jail terms.
MPs Want Major Changes
Committee chairperson Faith Muthambi said public hearings and scientific submissions showed that not all tobacco and nicotine products carry the same risk.
She said the committee had accepted the need for differentiation between products. According to Muthambi, the Department of Health also accepted differentiation as a guiding principle in its response to public comments in March 2026.
Muthambi said the current one-size-fits-all approach would now be addressed during the next stage of the process.
Public Concerns Still on the Table
The committee held hearings in 27 municipalities across all nine provinces.
Almost 7,900 people attended the hearings, 1,113 oral submissions were made and about 40,000 written submissions were received.
MPs raised concerns around product differentiation, penalties, illicit trade, enforcement and the impact on businesses and consumers.
ActionSA supported the Bill and called for harm reduction principles. The DA raised concerns about grouping different products together. The EFF also supported the Bill but said it must clearly distinguish between combustible and non-combustible products.
The Bill will now move to clause-by-clause deliberations before the committee finalises its report and sends it to the National Assembly for further debate.
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