E-cigarettes, including vapes and the popular hubbly bubbly will now be subject to taxes. This is according to Finance Minister Tito Mboweni.
Mboweni who tabled the sixth administration’s first budget government will now tax heated tobacco products.
The rate for the products will be 75 cents. Electronic cigarettes, famously referred to as vapes will also be taxes.
Mboweni said the new taxes were informed by the Department of Health policy.
Water pipes, also known as hookahs, hubbly bubbly, narghiles, shisha and goza have become popular as a pastime for young people.
The products are also seen as less harmful than smoking cigarettes.
However the Cancer Association of South Africa has challenged the view that these products are less harmful than the traditional cigarettes.
A 340ml can of beer or cider will cost an extra 8 cents, while a 750ml of wine will cost an extra 14 cents and similar size of a bottle of sparkling wine an extra 16 cents and a 750ml of whisky will now cost R2.89.
Nigga is adding tax to Hookah. This man must come tax my lungs then. #BudgetSpeech2020
— Maximus (@JeSuisBahati) February 26, 2020
Hookah & Vapes in the mix #BudgetSpeech2020
— Ama Okyere-Boateng (@K2_Phwr3sh) February 26, 2020
By Kabelo Khumalo
