On Wednesday 19 November, the South African parliament passed amendments to its Tobacco Products Control Act. The new Bill, together with an Act passed earlier this year, is a leap forward in tobacco control in South Africa.
Key changes to the law include:
1) Smoking is banned in cars carrying children under 12 years old as passengers. Smoking near building entrances and in outdoor areas, like sports stadiums, is also regulated.
2) Introduction of picture-based health warnings on tobacco packaging. Untruthful and misleading labelling on tobacco packaging, like “light” and “mild”, is banned.
3) Sales of tobacco products through the Internet or by mail are prohibited.
4) All cigarettes have to be self-extinguishing (reduced ignition propensity products) to reduce the risk of causing fires. (About five per cent of all fires in the country are caused by discarded tobacco products).
5) Retail and wholesale display of tobacco products will be strictly regulated. Self-service displays of tobacco products at retail are banned.
6) Direct or indirect advertising of a tobacco product, and the practice of paying film and television producers to show tobacco products on screen (so-called product placement), are prohibited.
7) Chemicals that may be released by, or added to, tobacco products during manufacture are regulated.
The new law now goes for assent to the State President, and will come into force on a date to be decided.
South Africa has regularly increased tobacco excise taxes since 1991. The government banned smoking in indoor public places and tobacco advertising in 1999.
Cigarette consumption has fallen by 40 per cent in the past decade, providing the clearest evidence of the success of the law.
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