Smoking May Be Illegal in Certain Settings. Photo by [Business Insider]
South Africa will soon adopt a new bill regarding the use and sales of Tobacco and Electronic smoking devices.
The bill is set to regulate the formation of designated indoor and outdoor smoking areas, the marketing and branding of smoking products and the displaying of tobacco products in retail stores.
The Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill was accepted by the Cabinet and has since been submitted for approval by Parliament.
The CEO of Tobacco, Alcohol and Gambling Advisory and Action group, Peter Ucko, welcomes the new regulations as it is a significant step in reducing the harmful effects of secondhand smoking. Whether from tobacco cigarettes or E-cigarettes, proven to be just as detrimental to one’s health.
Understanding Islamic psychology
The Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill
The bill is set to tighten current regulations regarding designated smoking areas in public spaces. If all sectors approve the bill, restrictions such as allowing designated indoor smoking areas would be deemed null and void. Public establishments must be 100% smoke-free or risk being penalised.
The bill would also affect tobacco use in outdoor settings such as stadiums and public events. It will further restrict the use of tobacco and E-cigarettes in the presence of non-smokers. Therefore, smoking in private spaces such as places of employment, homes, and cars will be illegal.
Ucko said, “At the moment, people smoke in their private dwellings and very often, the most vulnerable people in society are negatively affected by that secondhand smoke. The vulnerable people are women and children.”
The bill will also force manufacturers to alter the packaging of tobacco and E-cigarette products by making them less desirable and alluring to consumers. Manufacturers will be required to change the appearance of the packaging to a neutral colour with less marketing jargon, and it will need to display extensive health warnings.
“All sorts of things [are used] to make a brand glamorous to a particular smoker. So, they develop brand loyalty, and they want you to switch brands because my package is more attractive than others. But the package doesn’t tell you anything about the content.”
Ucko states that a correlation between smokers and tobacco packaging negatively affects a smoker’s psyche. Research has shown that the current packaging often serves as a trigger to people who are trying to, or have, quit smoking. The hope is by making the packaging plain and full of health warnings, consumers will deter from purchasing the product.
The effects on retailers
There are concerns about how the new bill would financially impact major retailers and smaller businesses. However, Ucko states that it would not impact major retailers much as tobacco products only count for a small percentage of their revenue.
The bill would instruct retailers not to display the products openly as they do. Instead, they will need to store them below the counter, away from public viewing. According to Ucko, this is a vital step in removing mental triggers that allow consumers to continue smoking.
“Retail stores are probably unlikely to sell fewer cigarettes in the short term. In the long term, more and more people will quit smoking and eventually, fewer and fewer cigarettes will be sold.”
