Public attend hearings into new Tobacco Bill

The public participation hearings into the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems

Bill was held at the Jack Botes Hall on Sunday, where ordinary residents had the opportunity to stand before the Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health to motivate their reasons as to why the bill should be introduced or scrapped.

The bill was introduced in parliament by the Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla on May 31 and the proposed bill seeks to regulate smoking; to regulate the sale and advertising of tobacco products and electronic delivery systems; to regulate the packaging and appearance of tobacco products and electronic delivery systems and to make provision for the standardisation of their packaging; to provide for standards in respect of the manufacturing and export of tobacco products and electronic delivery systems; to prohibit the sale of tobacco products and electronic delivery systems to children; to prohibit the free distribution of tobacco products and electronic delivery systems; to prohibit the sale of tobacco products and electronic delivery systems by means of vending machines; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

Committee chairperson Dr Kenneth Leonard Jacobs explained that the country’s constitution requires the national assembly and its committees to facilitate public participation.

“We are here to increase access and improve the quality of participation. The bill is aimed at closing any loopholes and bring tobacco legislation in line with other developments internationally.”

As residents shared their stance, one of the recurring themes was how the bill would negatively affect employment and give way to the illicit trade.

The Public Oral Health Forum said they support the bill, citing the relationship between tobacco use and an increased prevalence in oral diseases, particularly oral cancer, and periodontitis.

They also support the prohibition of the public display of tobacco products, the regulation of their marketing using appealing packaging and the need for graphic depiction of the health effects, including oral health effects of tobacco use with a clear warning label on the packages of all tobacco related products.

“The manifestation of oral diseases linked to tobacco use has a significant impact on the quality of life, general health, and well-being of affected individuals.

“The cost of tobacco use far exceeds the amount of tax revenue generated through the collection of taxes, a significant portion of which is paid by the consumer through excise tax.

The cost of managing the chronic conditions related to tobacco use is estimated at R42b per annum, a cost that is both unsustainable in the long term,” reads their submission.

Vapour Products Association of South Africa is against the bill, explaining that vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling vapor which does not contain tobacco: “Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, are battery-operated products designed to deliver nicotine, flavour and other chemicals but not tobacco. E-cigarettes and Tobacco Heated Products (THPs) are not one and the same.”

Their stance is that smoking indoors should be banned and tobacco-free vapor products (e-cigarettes) which do not burn or produce smoke, should not be subject to the same public place usage bans as cigarettes.

The health warnings on e-liquids should accurately and factually inform the user of the risks and be clearly differentiated from cigarettes, they said.

“Since vapour products are for adults only, their use in areas frequented by minors, such as schools, should be controlled in the same way as other age restricted products like alcohol.

“For adult associated private venues, hotels, restaurants, cafes, and commercial offices, it should be left to owners to determine whether and in which areas vapour product use should be permitted.”

The cost of tabacco use far exceeds the amount of tax revenue generated.