An emerging tobacco product ban is as good as its regulation

Shatyohamba Haihambo

As a bar owner, employer and taxpayer, I understand both sides of the debate around the proposed amendments to Namibia’s Tobacco Products Control Act.

For years, businesses like mine have legally sold products such as vapes, refills and hookah as part of a broader hospitality offering.

These products generate income, attract customers and, importantly, create jobs for bartenders, waiters, cashiers, cleaners and suppliers.

At a time when unemployment remains one of Namibia’s biggest challenges, any policy that affects small businesses deserves careful consideration.

At the same time, I am deeply concerned by reports of vaping and nicotine products finding their way into schools and being used by children. No responsible business owner wants to see young people exposed to addictive substances.

Protecting children should remain a priority, and stricter age verification, better education and tougher penalties for those who sell to minors are measures that deserve support.

However, the conversation should not end with the question of whether products are harmful. It should also address how government intends to enforce the proposed restrictions and whether Namibia has the capacity to prevent unintended consequences.

History offers an important lesson. Cigarettes are already heavily regulated, yet illicit tobacco products continue to enter Namibia through the northern border and other routes.

Smuggled products are sold without tax, without quality control and outside the formal economy. If products such as vapes, refills, hookah and nicotine pouches are prohibited outright, there is a real possibility that demand will not disappear but instead shift into informal and illegal channels.

That raises several practical questions. Will customs officials, law enforcement agencies and local authorities have enough resources to stop illicit imports? How will authorities identify and monitor unlicensed sellers operating through social media or informal markets? Who will bear the cost of enforcement, and what systems will be put in place to ensure that legal businesses are not unfairly targeted while illegal traders continue to operate unchecked?

These concerns are particularly important for small businesses. Many bars, convenience stores and retailers have invested in stock, equipment and supplier relationships around products that are currently legal.

Abrupt policy changes could affect jobs, reduce income and place additional pressure on already struggling enterprises.

This is not an argument against public health. It is an appeal for balanced policymaking.

Namibia can protect children, reduce harmful use and regulate nicotine products without necessarily driving the trade underground.

Strong age restrictions, licensing systems, tighter controls on advertising and tougher penalties for sales to minors may prove more practical and effective than blanket bans that are difficult to enforce.

The challenge for policymakers is not simply to introduce stricter laws, but to ensure that those laws are realistic, enforceable and capable of achieving their intended outcomes.

Public health matters. So do jobs, livelihoods and the sustainability of small businesses. The final legislation should strive to protect both.