[Intl-tobacco] South African Smokers Have One Month To Puff Away (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

SA Smokers Have One Month To Puff Away
Source: The Independent Online (IOL), Tuesday, 5/30/00

May 30 2000 at 03:34PM

Regulations to curb the smoking habits of South Africans would be
promulgated by the end of next month or early July, Patricia Lambert,
adviser to the health minister, said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a news conference in Pretoria to mark Wednesday's World
No-Tobacco Day, she said the regulations would stop smoking in public
places, which included the workplace.

The legislation had to be altered to exclude regulation of smoking in
people's homes, Lambert said. However, this presented problems as the
constitution included an obligation to protect children.

"It is difficult for children to protect themselves in their own homes
against their smoking parents."

Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said: "The exposure of children
to household tobacco levels has reached critical levels."

Of the five-year-olds living in Soweto, 64 percent were found to live with
at least one smoker in the home, she said.

Dr Priscilla Reddy, director of the Medical Research Council's national
health promotion and development office, said that according to
preliminary findings of a survey conducted among 6 000 children
nationwide, 43,6 percent of 13- to 15-year-olds were exposed to tobacco
smoke in their homes.

More than 42 percent had smoked at least once in their lives. "That is
alarming. That is our nation's tomorrow."

Reddy said 21 percent indicated that the first thing they wanted when they
woke up in the morning was a cigarette.

One-fifth of the respondents had smoked for the first time before they
were 10 years old, 18 percent currently smoked and 10 percent smoked
frequently.

About 35 percent thought it was difficult to quit smoking, she said.

"As the years progress, how much more addicted are they going to be?"

Tshabalala-Msimang said passive smoking could have a particularly harmful
effect on the respiratory systems of babies and young children.

A recent study found that women were far more likely to develop cancer
after exposure to second-hand smoke than men were. It also indicated that
some non-smoking women might be genetically susceptible to second-hand
smoke.

In South Africa, 40 percent of men and 12 percent of women smoked.

"How can we stand by and do nothing when we have proof that the smoking of
men and a few women is endangering the lives and causing disease amongst
most of our women, all of our children and a few of our men?

"We have a duty to protect non-smokers from smokers, and we intend to do
just that. We will promulgate our regulations as soon as possible, and in
doing so, we will give real effect to people's constitutional right to
live in a healthy environment."

For decades, cigarette advertising glamourised smoking, yet failed to
inform the public that the products were highly addictive, could kill, or
at the least, cause serious illness.

"It is our duty to protect people, especially young people, from this
blatantly deceitful and downright dangerous advertising."

Dr Yusuf Saloojee, director of the National Council against Smoking,
lashed out at a cigarette advertisement posing the question: "Do I look
afraid to take a chance?"

He said it encouraged people to take the risk of smoking. "It's like
encouraging people to drink and drive."

Lambert said that within three months of the promulgation of the
regulation, smoking rooms, not exceeding 25 percent of the total area of
the premises, would have to be designated at workplaces.

Smokers working at a place without a smoking room, would have to go
outside to light up. The only place where smoking was not regulated was
the open air, because that would have been too difficult, she said.

Asked about the possible intimidation of or discrimination against
non-smokers on the grounds of their complaints, Lambert said the Labour
Relations Act protected employees against victimisation or threatening.

However, more subtle threats might be difficult to control.

She suggested that a complaint about smoking should be directed to a
person in a high position and in written form.

Saloojee said some people saw the legislation as anti-smokers, while the
issue was smoking.

"The struggle was against apartheid, never against white South Africans."

Regarding suggestions that the law was painted as unworkable and
unrealistic, he said: "This is not true."

Tshabalala-Msimang said she was sure the law and regulations would achieve
their objectives.

She said her department would ensure that the regulations were in line
with the constitution.

"I'm convinced we are on the right track."

South Africa's tobacco legislation was in line with that of many other
countries - including banning tobacco advertising, creating smoke-free
workplaces, prohibiting free cigarette hand-outs and reducing tar and
nicotine in cigarettes.

"They are doing this for the sake of their vulnerable citizens, and also
because tobacco-related illnesses are costing health systems a great deal
of money - money that is literally going up in smoke." - Sapa