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A Case for 100% Smoke-Free Policy in South Africa

Smoking

A Case for 100% Smoke-Free Policy in South Africa

Results from the 2017 South African Social Attitude Survey

Background

Currently, according to the South African Tobacco Products Act, 83 of 1993 (amended in 2008), no person may smoke any tobacco product in any indoor public place [1]. Section 2 of the Act empowers the Minister of Health to make regulations regarding smoking in public places. Hence, the Minister may permit smoking in the prescribed portion of a public place, subject to any prescribed condition. Therefore, in 2000, the Minister of Health published a notice in the Government Gazette relating to smoking in public places stating that a person in control of a public place may designate at most 25% of the total floor area of the public place as a smoking area [2, 3]. This regulation allowed for indoor public places to have designated smoking areas. The question is, do designated smoking areas prevent non-smokers from being exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS)?

In 2018, the South African government proposed the Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill. Part of the Bill aims to provide for 100% smokefree public places without providing for designated smoking areas [4]. Since the new tobacco control bill is still being processed, it is important to look at how effective the current laws have been in protecting non-smokers from involuntary exposure to SHS. This policy brief presents results from the 2017 South African Social Attitude Survey showing the level of exposure of non-smokers to second-hand tobacco smoke in workplaces, cafés/restaurants, shebeens [local bars] as well as at home.

View the complete A Case for 100% Smoke-Free Policy in South Africa: Results from the 2017 South African Social Attitude Survey Policy Brief

 

20 November 2020