ECigIntelligence
COVID-19 news round-up
COVID-19 news round-up
30th April 2020
E-cigarettes in South Africa
This section holds all of our site content that covers South Africa, including all news briefings, our full-length market and regulatory reports for the country and our extensive regulatory and market trackers. It offers easy access to all information and analysis that relates specifically to South Africa.
Business briefing
Market reports
Snapshot: South Africa, July 2019
19th August 2019
Regulatory reports
Global tobacco harm reduction policies: selected country overview
11th November 2019
Databases
Key global e-cigarette markets database: September 2020
4th September 2020
Marketing & retailing
More Marketing & retailing
Introduction to the e-cigarette market in South Africa
South Africa is the largest steadily-growing e-cigarette market in Africa. The nicotine-containing e-cig market in South Africa is regulated through the South African Medicine Control Council.
According to the law, retailers do not have the right to sell electronic cigarettes without a permit. Additionally, e-cigarettes containing nicotine are not authorised to be sold outside pharmacies and can only be purchased with a doctor’s prescription.
A bill is currently with parliament that aims to legalise e-cigarettes with nicotine. E-cigs without nicotine are currently unregulated and are therefore unrestricted.
Illegal tobacco counts for almost 50% of the total South African tobacco market, which makes the country one of the top worldwide for the counterfeit cigarette trade. With this in mind, despite the tough regulation, electronic cigarettes are available all over the country.
The diversity of electronic devices has increased through the years.
