South Africa’s new tobacco laws need to differentiate between cigarettes and non-combusted alternatives and help people make informed choices instead of clamping down on smoking.
Regulations set out in the Tobacco Bill should also be based on scientific evidence, something a multinational tobacco company claims is not currently the case.
The Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, which is available for public comment until September 4, includes enhanced regulations on the sale and advertising of traditional tobacco products, as well as new regulations pertaining to the sale and advertising of electronic cigarettes.
Proposals include standardising the packaging of cigarette products, stopping sales through vending machines, and outlawing smoking in all indoor public places and certain outdoor areas.
However, tobacco company Philip Morris South Africa (PMSA), has called the bill “irrational”, and says its current approach “lacks nuance and scientific justification”. It will also not advance the public interest.
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