Why the tobacco bill treats e-cigarettes like smokes

This story was produced by the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism. Sign up for the newsletter.

• Ex-smoker Kurt Yeo thinks e-cigarettes have saved his life and are an effective way to quit traditional tobacco.
• Lung doctors disagree and say while vapes are possibly less harmful than cigarettes, they’re not harmless. 
• Around one in four South African university students use e-cigarettes — public health experts say marketing specifically targets young people. 
• Anti-smoking activists hope South Africa’s tobacco bill, which says e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes should be regulated in the same way, will be passed by parliament this year.
• This Health Beat episode shows why some young people view vapes as luxury items and are attracted by advertising gimmicks.