New vaping regulations in Tunisia?

While the e-cigarette market in Tunisia is still quite limited, the Electronic Cigarette Association for Quitting Smoking (ACEAF) hopes that this will change. Currently, the National Board of Tobacco and Matches (RNTA) has a monopoly on the sale of vaping products. In order to change this, a meeting was held between the directors of ACEAF and the RNTA.

On Tuesday, January 16 2018, a meeting was organized at the initiative of ACEAF president Khaled Haddad. He was able to speak with Sami Ben Jannet, the general manager of the RNTA. The Tunisian vape market sector continues to encounter difficulties that both men would like to address.

For this, several propositions have been submitted to the Electronic Cigarette Association for Quitting Smoking. Meanwhile, the director of the RNTA has expressed willingness to compromise. Although it remains hypothetical, an agreement would revitalize a struggling Tunisian vaping market.

The end of RNTA’s monopoly?

The primary issue concerns the incredibly restrictive framework applied to the vaping market in Tunisia. All commercial vaping products are currently subject to the RNTA’s monopoly, which has led to the appearance of numerous and illegal black market networks, greatly reducing the potential for public profit.

In order to change the situation, the ACEAF is waiting for the RNTA to accept new conditions regarding the vaping market. Its primary argument is based on the effectiveness of electronic cigarettes as a nicotine substitute. Consequently, the ACEAF argues that vaping products should be more accessible to consumers.

The RNTA is open to discussions surrounding this controversial subject. Sami Ben Jannet has asked ACEAF for a full report on the state of the vaping market. While additional meetings may be needed before an agreement can be reached, such a decision would allow Tunisian vapers to have better access to the products of their choice.