South Africa: Anti-smoking Groups Voice Support for Strict New Rules

07/26/2012

ANTI-smoking organisations have criticised those lobbying against proposed amendments to South Africa’s Tobacco Products Control Act, with Dr Yusuf Saloojee, executive director at the National Council Against Smoking (NCAS), saying they are "trying to make the public laws look ridiculous". The Department of Health is amending the act to ban smoking in stadiums, outdoor restaurants, parking areas and beaches. The amendments include a ban on smoking within 10m from an entrance to a building. The Free Market Foundation, an independent policy research and education body, is among those that have questioned the validity and practicality of the proposed amendments, saying they are elitist and ill-considered. Earlier this month, Chris Hart, chief economist at Investment Solutions, said the proposed amendments were an attack on the tobacco industry and prioritised "artificial crime" over serious crimes. But at a media briefing in Parktown, Johannesburg, on Wednesday, the NCAS and the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) voiced their support for the amendments. Dr Saloojee said that according to the World Health Organisation, an average of 5,4m smokers died each year of diseases caused by tobacco, while the same diseases killed 600000 non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke. "We applaud the minister of health and hope the amendments will be made into law as soon as possible," he said. "Millions of people are exposed to smoke, which is hazardous to their health." Dr Saloojee added: "This is not about punishing smokers but about protecting the majority of South Africans who don’t smoke, and if businesses cater to the majority, it’s good for business." Joel Perry, executive manager at Cansa, said tobacco products were as addictive as alcohol, and tobacco was harder to quit than heroin. Dr Mac Lukhele, president of the South African Medical Association, which was also present at Wednesday’s briefing, said reducing both active and second-hand smoking would help decrease the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in South Africa. The Free Market Foundation has said it is unclear how the amendments to the act will be implemented in township areas with smaller building structures. But Peter Ucko, director at the NCAS, said on Wednesday that implementing the regulations in townships would not be problematic as there were significantly fewer smokers in these areas. Also on Wednesday, Free Market Foundation executive director Leon Louw said while the foundation acknowledged the harmful effects of smoking, its main concern with the amendments was South Africans’ right to freedom of association. "The objections of the Free Market Foundation to the proposed new smoking regulations are about the constitutional rights and freedoms of South Africans, not about smoking per se," he said. "The process being followed by the executive arm of government in attempting to impose substantive law through regulation does not follow due process, is contrary to the rule of law and is therefore unconstitutional." Enditem