South Africa: Move to Ban Smoking at All Workplaces

Source from:  Business Day (za)  06/18/2012

Free Market Foundation executive director Leon Louw says the government's latest proposals for restricting smoking in public places and the use of tobacco products are 'unrealistic and elitist'. THE government's latest proposals for restricting smoking in public places and the use of tobacco products are "unrealistic and elitist", says Free Market Foundation executive director Leon Louw. The Department of Health published draft regulations to the Tobacco Products Control Act on March 30, inviting public comment until the month-end. If passed in their existing form, they would tighten restrictions on smoking in all public areas, including covered walkways, service areas, inside bars, on beaches and in restaurants - leaving little more than private homes and cars where smoking will be legal. The proposed amendments also seek to prohibit smoking at workplaces, as they are deemed "public places" - a definition that Mr Louw disputes. South African businesses had spent hundreds of millions of rand creating facilities for smoking employees and clients, which would be "rendered useless" if the regulations became law, Mr Louw told a briefing on Wednesday. Deon van Biljon, manager of Mimmo's restaurant in Rosebank, Johannesburg, which has a smoking section, said the regulations were bound to hurt businesses. "They're going to kill our business. Lots of people come here to smoke. Few restaurants accommodate smokers like ours does, while keeping nonsmoking clients happy," he said. Mr Louw said the proposals were "elitist". The proposal prohibiting smoking within 10m of a doorway was impractical in townships where properties tended to be small. The department's spokesman, Fidel Hadebe, described Mr Louw's statements as "selfish and dangerously ignorant". "The use of tobacco products is one of the leading causes of noncommunicable diseases in our country and many parts of the world," Mr Hadebe said. "Mr Louw must just visit a few hospitals to see patients who are victims of tobacco use before he continues with his irresponsible public statements." The department would not be "soft" on tobacco control legislation, "despite what the Free Market Foundation would like to believe", Mr Hadebe said. The executive director of the National Council against Smoking, Yusuf Saloojee, said the regulations would not affect businesses as much as critics claimed. "In 2001, smoking and non-smoking areas were established. There were fears from business owners then of the effect it would have on business," he said. "Over 10 years later, traditional restaurants have not been affected by those regulations. "These are just tactics that the tobacco industry is using to lobby supporters." Dr Saloojee said a ban on public smoking would make employees more productive. "For companies, going smoke-free actually increases productivity, as it will encourage workers who want to stop smoking to quit. "In 1988, 2,5-million working days were lost because workers took time off with smoking-related diseases, thus affecting the productivity of every company in the country," Dr Salojee said. "We have 11 years of experience in SA. When it comes to regulating smoking at work, it's simply a matter of proper management. There is no constitutional right to smoke, but there is a constitutional right to a healthy environment."Enditem