Hope for the South African market? Public comment period for controversial bill extended

According to local media in South Africa, the Health Committee has extended the public comment period for the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill by one month. Originally set to end on August 4, 2023, it has now been extended to September 4, 2023. Dr. Kenneth JacOBS, the committee chair, explained that the committee received numerous requests for an extension.
Reports indicate that the bill was submitted to parliament in December 2022, proposing several regulations, such as a ban on displaying all tobacco and related products at all retail channels. This ban will affect cigarettes, cigars, vaping products, shisha, and heated tobacco products.
Due to this 'display ban', the industry's response to the new bill has been extremely negative. A survey of over 200 professional tobacco merchants in South Africa showed that 98% of respondents opposed the display ban, and 99.5% believed it would severely impact their business, sustainability, and employment levels.
Diane Bravo, a representative from Casa Tabacs, stated that the display ban would force companies to close, harming the country's finances and employment. The bill stipulates that even unintentional display of cigarette packaging at the counter could result in a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and/or fines, with 99.5% of businesses stating that this penalty is excessively harsh.
Respondents also expressed concerns about the proposed standardization or plain packaging in the bill. This means that all cigarettes and related products must have similar brand appearances, and Bravo stated, 'This makes them easy to counterfeit and will further drive rampant crime.'
In response, the committee welcomes public participation and hopes that the legislation can meet the needs of the industry and South African citizens. Currently, the legislative work is ongoing, and there is hope that all parties' interests will be fully considered to formulate reasonable regulations. It seems that there is still a possibility that this 'display ban' could be canceled.