Big tobacco is back with a new tactic—marketing nicotine products as “safer alternatives.” With weak regulations and a rising youth market, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and snuff are being pushed harder than ever. But are they really safer, or just a new way to keep people hooked?  Speaking on Hot Business with Jeremy Maggs and Moneyweb, Professor Lekan Ayo Yusuf, head of the School of Health Systems and Public Health at the University of Pretoria, elaborated on how this is playing out.

The tobacco industry’s new tricks

With a growing youth population and some regulatory grey areas, big tobacco is finding new ways to push nicotine products in South Africa—this time, marketing them as “safer alternatives.” From e-cigarettes to heated tobacco and even snuff, the industry’s latest pivot is raising serious health concerns.

“The major concern I have is that there’s not necessarily full disclosure about the intent behind these marketing tactics,” says Professor Lekan Ayo Yusuf, head of the School of Health Systems and Public Health at the University of Pretoria.

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The “safer” myth

One of the key strategies behind this expansion is the idea that these alternatives are “safer.” But Professor Yusuf warns that lower exposure to toxins doesn’t necessarily mean zero risk.

“If you’ve got enough of a toxin to cause cancer, even cutting it in half doesn’t make it safe—it just means you might get there a little slower,” he explains.

And while big tobacco claims these products help smokers quit, local research tells a different story. “Our studies show that most people who try e-cigarettes to quit smoking actually relapse within six months,” says Yusuf.

Targeting the youth

Perhaps most concerning is how these products are being marketed to young people.

“If harm reduction was really the goal, these vape shops would be where smoking is already a big problem,” notes Yusuf. “Instead, they’re conveniently popping up near universities, where the real target market is young, new customers—not existing smokers trying to quit.”

With strategic marketing and clever product positioning, the industry is working hard to ensure nicotine addiction stays alive and well. The question is — will regulations catch up before another generation gets hooked?