There was varied and contrasting public feedback from the Cape last Sunday during the Portfolio Committee on Health’s public hearing process for the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill.
The meeting for Cape Town and Cape Winelands-based groups in Paarl was attended by academics specialising in health issues, healthcare consultants, workers and representatives from health and tobacco trading, all debating the Bill that plans to shake up the South African smoking scene.
The Western Cape residents presented contrasting views on the legislation that wants to:
• Declare indoor public places and certain outdoor areas 100% smoke-free;
• Ban cigarette sales through vending machines;
• Require plain packaging with graphic health warnings and pictorials;
• Ban the display at point-of-sale;
• Regulate and control electronic nicotine delivery systems and non-nicotine delivery systems.
Objectors based their arguments on moral, indigenous and economic grounds, and also said there had been a lack of effective consultations during the drafting process, while those in favour of the Bill grounded their arguments in health reasons, citing available data of smoking-related illnesses as grounds for "needed" legislative change to smoking laws.
BusinessTech reports that academics argued that there was a moral obligation to promote electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) as “safer” products for adult smokers.
This is because the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), one of the leading authorities on ENDS worldwide, recently authorised the sale of around 23 e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn and snus (moist oral tobacco) products.
According to the South African Medical Research Council, around 29.4% of the adult population is currently using tobacco products (smoked and smokeless).
Committee chairperson Dr Kenneth Jacobs said the public’s views would be taken into account before the compilation of a report on the Bill. It would then be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration.
BusinessTech article – New smoking laws for South Africa leave Cape Town divided (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
SA Tobacco Bill approved by Cabinet
What proposed Tobacco Bill means for vaping in South Africa
Supporters of South Africa’s Tobacco Bill speak out