After years of delays, amendments, and extensive public consultation, South Africa is moving closer to implementing stricter tobacco control measures following Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health’s endorsement of the desirability of the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill.
The proposed legislation seeks to significantly tighten the regulation of smoking and vaping in the country. It includes provisions to ban smoking and vaping in indoor public spaces, introduce plain packaging with graphic health warnings, restrict the advertising, sponsorship, and promotion of tobacco and electronic nicotine delivery products, and regulate e-cigarettes in line with traditional tobacco products. It also seeks to restrict sales through vending machines and strengthen overall enforcement mechanisms.
Chairperson of the School of Health Systems and Public Health in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pretoria, Professor Lekan Ayo-Yusuf, says the bill is aimed at modernising outdated legislation.
“Summarised, the bill essentially aims to modernise the current tobacco law in South Africa, most of which was passed as far back as 1993,” he said.
“There were some amendments in 2008 and 2009, but they did not go far enough to make the legislation comparable to the global standards set by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.”
He added that South Africa, as a signatory to the international treaty, has lagged behind in implementing its provisions.
“South Africa has not implemented most of the provisions of the treaty it signed. This bill is aimed at ensuring that we become part of the global standard.”
Ayo-Yusuf also highlighted key changes, including tighter controls on public smoking areas and the banning of cigarette vending machines that are accessible to minors. He noted that current laws still allow limited indoor smoking areas, which the new bill seeks to regulate more strictly.
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
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