Tobacco bill can’t wait any longer, health professionals say

Efforts to delay the implementation of the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill of 2022 have been condemned by a group of health professionals who are part of the Protect Our Next initiative.

The bill, which was first published in 2018, is currently before parliament and in its public participation phase where South Africans are given the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed law.

Members of the public have until next Friday, 4 August, to share their views on the matter, but this week the South Africa Tobacco Transformation Alliance (Satta) reportedly made calls to delay the process.

Read: Backlash against new tobacco bill gets white hot

Dr Sharon Nyatsanza of the National Council Against Smoking said in a statement issued on Thursday that five years is a long time to wait for the Tobacco Control Bill to come into law, a waiting period that she reckons has cost South Africa immensely.

“Based on 2016 figures, every year, over 25 000 people over 35 die directly due to smoking, and over 200 000 people become sick from smoking-related diseases including cancer, heart and lung disease,” she said.

“It costs the economy more than R42 billion annually to treat these tobacco-related illnesses, and in lost productivity. That is the price South Africa has paid.”

According to government, the bill – which has garnered much attention from both sides of the aisle – aims to strengthen “public health protection measures” and align the country’s tobacco control laws with the World Health Organisation Framework Convention.

The bill, which seeks to repeal the Tobacco Control Act of 1993, proposes several legislative changes and seeks to, among others, ban smoking in indoor public places and some outdoor areas, prohibit the sale of cigarettes through vending machines, and ban the display of such products at point of sale. It also seeks the regulation and control of electronic nicotine delivery systems and non-nicotine delivery systems.

Campaign

This week Satta, which claims to represent about 11 000 tobacco farmers, unleashed a campaign against the bill on its Twitter platform seemingly targeting consumers and sellers of the products affected by the bill.

The posts contained emotive imagery and alarmist narratives around the bill’s supposed threatening nature.

Do you have family or friends that smoke hubbly? Want to see them go to jail for it?

No?

Then send a submission to parliament at https://t.co/4NZanePQHh and tell them to #stopthetobaccobill pic.twitter.com/yH1ZquNPFz

— SATobaccoAlliance (@TTASouthAfrica) July 25, 2023

Listen: Current tobacco bill will cripple informal traders

Lives over profit

According to health professionals, the bill is aimed at preventing addiction to nicotine in young people and assisting those who are already addicted.

Dr Catherine Egbe of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) condemned the tobacco and e-cigarette industries for using “propaganda technique” to advance their position on the issue.

“In a common Tobacco Industry propaganda technique seen in many countries, the facts are being twisted in a last-ditch attempt to sway public opinion,” she said.

“This is often based on the only arguments the industry can distort and latch onto – jobs, punishment such as jail time, illicit trade and ‘harm reduction’ through e-cigarettes.”

The health professionals stressed that corporate profit should not take precedence over human health and lives.

“The industry’s primary focus is to make more money and profit for themselves – with no regard for the human tragedy and socio-economic cost of this business of promoting addiction,” Nyatsanza said.

“We urge the government to take the impact of tobacco very seriously – and we urge every company, health organisation, non-profit organisation, church, school, youth group and citizen to submit their views and support [the bill].

“Further delay will only benefit the tobacco industry – and will have devastating costs for all.”

Listen to Fifi Peters in conversation with Diane Bravo, owner Casa Tabacs, about whether the bill will do more harm than good: 

You can also listen to this podcast on iono.fm here.