Can SA lead the war on tobacco?
SMOKING is the single most preventable cause of death in the world.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that in South Africa alone, smoking results in more than half of lung cancer deaths, 37% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease deaths, and over 20% of cardiovascular deaths and tuberculosis deaths.
Studies prove that legislation and taxation are the most effective ways to curb this epidemic worldwide, with changes since 1993 contributing to a drop from 33% of South Africans smoking in the mid-1990s to about 20% today.
As we stand at the cusp of implementing tighter tobacco controls to bring us into alignment with WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control commitments, the social, economic and developmental costs of tobacco use in South Africa cannot be debated.
The draft Control of Tobacco and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, announced in July 2018, will continue to make it easier for South Africans to make the healthy choice.
We must implement ways to plug the drain that costs our country R59billion a year in addressing the harm from tobacco-related illnesses.
The fact that the country only collects between R11bn and R13bn from excise taxes on tobacco, makes the economic argument even clearer.
The new bill requires that any enclosed public area is 100% smokefree, and will make certain outdoor public places smoke-free too.
It removes any authority to provide for smoking areas in all enclosed public places, workplaces and on public conveyances, and applies the smoking ban to common areas of multi-unit residences. It further bans smoking in private dwellings used for commercial child care/education, and in cars carrying children under 18.
The looming epidemic of e-cigarettes has raised public health concerns in relation to youth initiation to nicotine, with the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reporting an increase of 1.5 million school users from 2017 to 2018, as well as evidence showing that e-cigarettes are most likely to be used in combination with combustible cigarettes, rather than being a quitting tool.
The body of research indicating e-cigarettes have distinct risks is growing, linking their use to the development of lung diseases, high blood pressure and sudden infant death syndrome.
Unfortunately, the current legislation predates e-cigarettes, and manufacturers have used the legislative vacuum to promote these devices. If the new Bill is passed, e-cigarettes will fall under the same regulations as cigarettes.
South Africa is also playing catch-up when it comes to restricting tobacco marketing. The new bill introduces uniform plain packaging for all brands and pictorial warnings on all packages. The bill also does not permit any cigarette vending machines.
Despite claims of contributing to the economy, industry profits are at the expense of addicted smokers, their families and public health. It’s time for our people and our government to show leadership in implementing global best practice to curb the onslaught of big tobacco through campaigning for the new bill to be passed.