SOUTH AFRICA:Tobacco Bill To Be Dealt With This Session

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

Tobacco Bill To Be Dealt With This Session

by ANC News Briefing (Omar Jadwat) (8868) 
Date: Thursday, 2/11/99

PARLIAMENT February 10 1999 Sapa

    The tobacco bill which President Nelson Mandela referred back to
Parliament last month would be dealt with this session, health portfolio
committee chairman Dr Abe Nkomo said on Wednesday. 

He was unable to say exactly when the committee would discuss the measure. 

The Tobacco Products Control Amendment Bill seeks to ban tobacco
advertising and clamp down on smoking in public places, including the
workplace. 

It was approved by Parliament late last year, but Mandela sent
it back because he had reservations about its constitutionality.

Mandela was concerned that the bill's ban on tobacco companies'
financial assistance to an "organised activity" was too broad, and
that the workplace ban could unintentionally include smoking in the
home.

Speaker Dr Frene Ginwala said on Wednesday that the committee
would have to deal only with the issues raised by the president,
and could not use this as an opportunity to review the entire bill.