{"id":21473,"date":"2025-08-08T15:00:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T13:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/?p=21473"},"modified":"2026-03-12T10:04:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T08:04:35","slug":"cheap-cigarettes-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/cheap-cigarettes-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Cheap Cigarettes Keep Hooking South Africa\u2019s Youth \u2013 And How to Stop It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-price-accessibility-and-illicit-cigarettes-bypassing-regulations\" data-level=\"2\">Price Accessibility and Illicit Cigarettes Bypassing Regulations<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-role-of-peer-influence-and-social-pressures\" data-level=\"2\">The Role of Peer Influence and Social Pressures<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-marketing-tactics-exploiting-regulatory-loopholes\" data-level=\"2\">Marketing Tactics Exploiting Regulatory Loopholes<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-easy-availability-near-educational-institutions\" data-level=\"2\">Easy Availability Near Educational Institutions<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-health-risks-and-expert-commentary\" data-level=\"2\">Health Risks and Expert Commentary<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-strengthening-law-enforcement-against-illicit-trade\" data-level=\"2\">Strengthening Law Enforcement Against Illicit Trade<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-expanding-education-campaigns-to-counter-peer-influence\" data-level=\"2\">Expanding Education Campaigns to Counter Peer Influence<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-enhancing-parental-awareness-and-involvement\" data-level=\"2\">Enhancing Parental Awareness and Involvement<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-closing-regulatory-loopholes-and-controlling-new-nicotine-products\" data-level=\"2\">Closing Regulatory Loopholes and Controlling New Nicotine Products<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-central-role-of-satta-campaigns\" data-level=\"2\">The Central Role of SATTA Campaigns<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-monitoring-and-research-for-informed-policy\" data-level=\"2\">Monitoring and Research for Informed Policy<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-building-community-and-school-based-support-networks\" data-level=\"2\">Building Community and School-Based Support Networks<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-price-accessibility-and-illicit-cigarettes-bypassing-regulations\">Price Accessibility and Illicit Cigarettes Bypassing Regulations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cheap cigarettes remain the main driver hooking youth into tobacco use in South Africa. Illicit cigarettes now make up over <strong>60% of the tobacco market<\/strong>, sold at prices <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/illicit-cigarette-trade-south-africa\/\">significantly below<\/a> legal brands. These products <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/sars-raid-illicit-cigarette-busts\/\">evade taxes<\/a> and health regulations, making them far more affordable for young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since 2017, the illicit cigarette market has nearly doubled, rising from about 30% to 60%, intensifying tobacco use among youth. Recent studies show nearly <strong>22% of South African adolescents and young adults aged 12\u201324 currently use tobacco<\/strong>, with prevalence among school dropouts as high as <strong>51%<\/strong>, compared to about <strong>16%<\/strong> for learners still in school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/minimum-collectable-tax-illegal-cigarettes\/\">This low price encourages<\/a> frequent purchasing and sustained addiction, undermining public health efforts to reduce smoking rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-722768094\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-role-of-peer-influence-and-social-pressures\">The Role of Peer Influence and Social Pressures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Peer influence significantly affects youth smoking habits. Teenagers often view cigarettes as symbols of adulthood and social belonging. Young people with friends or family members who smoke are <strong>twice as likely<\/strong> to start smoking themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Social environments sometimes glamorise smoking, making it more attractive and harder for young people to refuse cheap cigarettes, especially in settings where peer pressure is strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-marketing-tactics-exploiting-regulatory-loopholes\">Marketing Tactics Exploiting Regulatory Loopholes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/hidden-toxins-in-illegal-cigarettes\/\">Illicit sellers<\/a> use marketing tactics that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/satta-government-to-combat-illicit-tobacco-trade\/\">exploit gaps<\/a> in tobacco laws. Unlike legal tobacco products that must carry health warnings and are sold only in specific pack sizes, illicit cigarettes are often sold <strong>loose or in unregulated small packs<\/strong>, bypassing advertising restrictions and health messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.up.ac.za\/faculty-of-health-sciences\/news\/post_3292775-tobacco-industry-targeting-africas-youth-as-new-market-warns-up-expert\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">These products<\/a> are commonly sold near schools and informal community hubs where young people gather, enabling easy access to underage users. The evolving tobacco market now includes aggressive promotion of <strong>new nicotine products like e-cigarettes and vapes<\/strong>, which circumvent existing regulations and complicate control efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-2681547723\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-easy-availability-near-educational-institutions\">Easy Availability Near Educational Institutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cheap illicit cigarettes are sold frequently near schools, often openly by informal vendors operating with minimal enforcement against them. This ready availability adds to youth accessibility and normalises tobacco use among children and teenagers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC10900320\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According to<\/a> the South African Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted in 2021, it was found that 12.7\u2009million people aged 15 years and above were currently using tobacco, making up one-third of the adult population.\u00a0Tobacco smoking accounts for a large burden of preventable diseases and causes of premature death in South Africa.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Constant exposure to tobacco near educational institutions fosters a social environment where smoking appears normal and accepted, increasing youth initiation risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-health-risks-and-expert-commentary\">Health Risks and Expert Commentary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>South Africa faces an alarming toll from tobacco use, <a href=\"https:\/\/tobaccoatlas.org\/factsheets\/south-africa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">with approximately<\/a> <strong>84,000 deaths annually<\/strong> linked to smoking and tobacco-related diseases. Starting smoking young raises the likelihood of developing lifelong addiction and suffering serious health problems such as cancers, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Despite international initiatives to reduce tobacco use, the WHO estimated tobacco as <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC10900320\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the cause<\/a> of more than 8\u2009million deaths annually.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Health experts and the <strong>South African Tobacco Transformation Alliance (SATTA)<\/strong> stress the urgent need to curb illicit cigarette trade. SATTA campaigns raise public awareness of tobacco harms and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/illegal-cigarettes-harm-your-lungs\/\">highlight the dangers<\/a> cheap illicit cigarettes pose to youth health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-2177782197\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-strengthening-law-enforcement-against-illicit-trade\">Strengthening Law Enforcement Against Illicit Trade<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cutting the supply of illicit cigarettes requires <strong>stronger <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/saps-police-catching-cigarette-smuggling-syndicates\/\">law enforcement<\/a><\/strong>. Measures include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Intensifying border control to stop smuggling.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cracking down on illegal vendors, both in physical markets and online.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seizure of illicit cigarettes and prosecution of offenders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Without robust policing, illegal products will continue to flood local markets, maintaining youth access and addiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-expanding-education-campaigns-to-counter-peer-influence\">Expanding Education Campaigns to Counter Peer Influence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Public health initiatives must include <strong>age-appropriate education programmes<\/strong> in schools and communities. These should focus on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Informing youth about tobacco&#8217;s health risks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Teaching refusal skills against peer pressure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Debunking myths glamorising smoking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Effective education can decrease the social acceptance of tobacco and prevent early initiation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-2240976727\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-enhancing-parental-awareness-and-involvement\">Enhancing Parental Awareness and Involvement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Parents and guardians must be empowered to actively discuss tobacco risks with their children. Monitoring their social environments and encouraging tobacco-free lifestyles reduce youth smoking initiation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/gauteng-image-1754657943-731x1024.png\" alt=\"Gauteng News Image\" class=\"wp-image-21502\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tobaccotransformationalliance.co.za\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SATTA<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Parental involvement is linked with lower tobacco use among adolescents by fostering supportive, non-smoking home environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-closing-regulatory-loopholes-and-controlling-new-nicotine-products\">Closing Regulatory Loopholes and Controlling New Nicotine Products<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>South Africa\u2019s tobacco laws must evolve to cover <strong>new nicotine products<\/strong>, including e-cigarettes and vapes. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/loose-cigarette-sales-banned-tobacco-law\/\">Regulatory steps<\/a> should:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Enforce strict age restrictions on sales.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ban marketing near schools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mandate health warnings and standardised packaging.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Closing these loopholes is crucial to prevent nicotine addiction pathways beyond traditional cigarettes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-2975841968\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-central-role-of-satta-campaigns\">The Central Role of SATTA Campaigns<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/tobaccotransformationalliance.co.za\/advocacy-illicit-trade\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SATTA<\/a> leads the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/how-to-spot-a-fake-cigarette-pack\/\">fight against<\/a> illicit cigarettes through advocacy and awareness campaigns such as <strong>\u201cStop the Illicit Trade\u201d<\/strong> and <strong>\u201cProtect Our Youth\u201d<\/strong>. Their work includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Promoting policy changes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Engaging communities in anti-tobacco activities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Educating the public on the harms of tobacco and illicit trade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/gauteng-image-1754657983-724x1024.png\" alt=\"Gauteng News Image\" class=\"wp-image-21503\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tobaccotransformationalliance.co.za\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SATTA<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Amplifying SATTA\u2019s voice is vital to sustaining momentum in tobacco control efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-monitoring-and-research-for-informed-policy\">Monitoring and Research for Informed Policy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ongoing <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC10900320\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">research is essential<\/a> for understanding youth tobacco use trends and refining strategies. Recent data show:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Overall tobacco use prevalence among South African youth is roughly <strong>22%<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Male adolescents (26%) are twice as likely to smoke as females (13%).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>School dropouts have significantly higher smoking rates (51%) than school-going learners (16%).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Regular monitoring enables targeted interventions for the highest-risk groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-1570055485\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-building-community-and-school-based-support-networks\">Building Community and School-Based Support Networks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Community engagement and school programmes that provide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Peer support groups.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Access to extracurricular activities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Positive peer role models.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These help reduce tobacco&#8217;s appeal and offer healthy alternatives to smoking for youth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover why cheap illicit cigarettes hook South Africa\u2019s youth and how enforcement, education, and SATTA campaigns can stop this growing public health threat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":21485,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"Discover why cheap illicit cigarettes hook South Africa\u2019s youth and how enforcement, education, and SATTA campaigns can stop this growing public health threat.","footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[4667,10074,9973,10072,4672,9976,9886,9979,10075,9885,9884,4677],"class_list":{"0":"post-21473","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-cigarettes","9":"tag-illegal-cigarettes-south-africa","10":"tag-illicit-cigarette-trade","11":"tag-illicit-tobacco-trade-south-africa","12":"tag-loose-cigarette-sales","13":"tag-public-health-impact-of-smoking","14":"tag-satta","15":"tag-satta-campaign","16":"tag-satta-tobacco-industry","17":"tag-south-african-tobacco-transformation-alliance","18":"tag-tobacco-laws","19":"tag-tobacco-products"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21473"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21473\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21504,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21473\/revisions\/21504"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21485"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}