BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
MBABANE – The proposed Tobacco Control Bill will prohibit more than 15 000 new and emerging tobacco and nicotine products, including electronic cigarettes and vaping devices disguised as everyday items such as pens, USB flash drives and other gadgets.
This has been described by the Ministry of Health as a move to protect young people from a growing nicotine epidemic.
The proposed amendments to the Tobacco Products Control Act of 2013 were unveiled by Non-Communicable Diseases Programme Manager Ntombi Ginindza during a media breakfast briefing organised by the Ministry of Health’s Health Promotion Unit in collaboration with the Non-Communicable Diseases, Injuries and Mental Health (NCDIMH) Programme at Mountain View Hotel on Thursday.
Presenting the key provisions of the Bill, Ginindza said the legislation seeks to close significant regulatory gaps that have emerged since the current Act came into force more than a decade ago, particularly the rapid proliferation of electronic cigarettes, vaping products and other nicotine delivery systems that are currently not comprehensively regulated in Eswatini.
She said the market has been flooded with more than 15 000 emerging tobacco and nicotine products, many designed to appeal to young people through attractive flavours, colourful packaging and discreet designs that resemble common household and electronic items, including pens and USB flash drives.
Ginindza said the proposed law would prohibit these new and emerging tobacco products while continuing to regulate traditional tobacco products for persons aged 18 years and above.
She explained that the amendments would also strengthen protection of tobacco control policies from the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry by implementing Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). The Bill proposes a government code of conduct governing interactions with the tobacco industry and prohibits officials from accepting incentives from tobacco companies.
The proposed legislation further seeks to strengthen smoke-free environments through tougher enforcement measures and tighter restrictions aimed at protecting the public from exposure to second-hand smoke.
Ginindza said the amendments were necessary because the Tobacco Products Control Act of 2013 had not delivered the desired public health outcomes.
According to figures presented during the briefing, adult smoking prevalence has increased by 83 per cent over the past decade, rising from 2014 to 2024. Smoking among men increased from 11.7 per cent to 19.8 per cent, while the prevalence among women doubled from 1.2 per cent to 2.4 per cent.
She also highlighted growing concern over e-cigarette use among young people, revealing that 16.7 per cent of adolescents currently use e-cigarettes, describing it as an emerging nicotine epidemic that requires urgent legislative intervention.
Ginindza noted that Eswatini has yet to implement several internationally recognised tobacco control measures. The country still relies on text-only health warnings on cigarette packaging instead of large pictorial health warnings recommended by the WHO, while access to smoking cessation support remains limited.
Among the proposed reforms is the introduction of large pictorial health warnings on tobacco packaging, expansion of cessation counselling and treatment services, establishment of a national toll-free quitline, and integration of tobacco cessation programmes into primary healthcare, including HIV, tuberculosis, non-communicable disease and maternal health services.
The Bill also proposes structured school-based smoking and vaping cessation programmes to support young people struggling with nicotine addiction. Government intends to integrate tobacco prevention into school curricula, conduct annual awareness campaigns, strengthen compliance inspections around schools and enforce penalties against retailers who illegally sell tobacco products to minors.
Ginindza further called for stronger measures to protect children and adolescents from tobacco industry marketing, including banning advertising, promotion and sponsorship targeting young people and restricting access to e-cigarettes.
Another major proposal is increasing excise taxes on tobacco and nicotine products to reduce affordability, particularly among young people. Part of the additional revenue generated would be allocated towards health promotion and tobacco control programmes.
The Ministry of Health argued that stronger tobacco control measures are justified not only on public health grounds but also on economic considerations.
Figures presented during the briefing showed that tobacco use costs Eswatini approximately E684 million annually, equivalent to 1.1 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The economic burden, officials said, far exceeds revenue generated through tobacco taxation due to healthcare costs and productivity losses associated with tobacco-related diseases.
The ministry also estimates that fully implementing the recommended tobacco control interventions over the next 15 years could prevent more than 3 300 premature deaths and avert approximately E2.7 billion in healthcare costs and economic losses by 2034.
Ginindza urged all stakeholders, including the media, educators, parents and policymakers, to support the proposed legislative reforms, saying they are essential to reversing rising smoking rates and preventing another generation of emaSwati from becoming addicted to nicotine.
“The Bill is about protecting public health, especially our children and young people, while ensuring that Eswatini’s tobacco control framework aligns with international best practice under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control,” she said.
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(Courtesy Pic)
