Government to introduce stricter anti-smoking rules in SA
Approved by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet in 2018, the bill aims to comprehensively prohibit smoking in public places.
Government to introduce stricter anti-smoking rules in SA photo credit: canva
The Department of Health is pushing forward on a draft bill in an effort to get more stringent anti-smoking laws passed.
Bill aims
Approved by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet in 2018, the bill aims to comprehensively prohibit smoking in public places.
This includes:
• Workplaces
• Any enclosed spaces where children are present
• Private dwellings used for certain commercial activities; and
• Some outdoor public spaces
The bill also aims to regulate the use, marketing and sales of e-cigarettes or vapes in South Africa, with these products currently operating in a legislative vacuum.
Tobacco companies have already slammed the proposed changes, citing a poor public consultation process and the damage the Bill will do to the industry.
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