Women in THR: Coffee chat with Asanda Gcoyi, CEO of VPASA

AHRA sat down with Asanda Gcoyi, a woman in THR, CEO of Vapour Products Association of South Africa (VPASA) to talk about Asanda’s journey to being the CEO of VPASA

AHRA’s moderator, Jessica Perkins, sat down with Asanda Gcoyi to discuss what VPASA does and how the organisation helps consumers to navigate the maze of the vaping industry. Topics covered included VPASA’s proactive youth access prevention program, regulatory updates from South Africa, and what countries provide the gold standard for tobacco harm reduction. Watch the 20-minute interview below, with timestamps also provided:

00:18 Jessica Perkins introduces AHRA mission

00:55 Jessica introduces Asanda Gcoyi (VPASA CEO)

1:32 Asanda introduces herself and VPASA’s mission

2:50 How does VPASA approach the issue of youth access prevention

7:16 What empirical evidence exists that safer alternatives exist to combustible cigarettes? And how is VPASA contributing to this body of evidence?

11:10 Where can members of the public find VPASA’s reports and publications?

11:43 South African Bureau of Standards’ new guidance on vaping products

14:04 How do you engage with government to bring about change?

17:37 Are there any significant consultations to be aware of in South Africa in the coming months?