South Africa's tobacco legislation has come a long way, but there is still much more it can do to protect the health of the nation through stricter legislation.
World No Tobacco Day is marked every 31 May globally to highlight health risks associated with tobacco use and to advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death globally and is currently responsible for killing one in 10 adults worldwide, or one person every six seconds. If you smoke, there is a very good chance it will kill you. Up to half of current users will eventually die of a tobacco related disease.
A recent survey from the Medical Research Council showed the levels of young people starting to smoke, with nearly half of Western Cape learners in grades 8 to 10 currently smoking, whilst the National Youth Risk Behaviour Survey from 2008 showed that one fifth of high school learners are smokers.
These young people are most susceptible to promotion by tobacco companies, who target young people as possible long-term customers. The latest South African Demographic and Health Survey (2003) showed that amongst adults, about 35% of men and 10% of women are smokers.
Despite the fact that tobacco advertising bans have been shown to be highly effective and good value for money in protecting people from tobacco, only 6% of the world's population currently benefits from this full protection from tobacco industry advertising, promotion and sponsorship tactics.
Evidence shows that comprehensive advertising bans lead to reductions in the numbers of people starting and continuing smoking. They counteract the ineffectiveness of partial bans, prevent young people being exposed to tobacco marketing and protect people from misleading and deceptive tobacco marketing campaigns.
Currently, legislation in South Africa has been proposed by the Minister of Health, which will lead to further restrictions of smoking in public places, outside buildings, and in some outdoor public areas. If the regulations are passed later in the year as expected, it will represent a victory for those who have a right to clean air. Currently, second-hand smoke kills 600,000 people a year around the world.
Another proposed regulation under discussion includes the display of graphic health warnings on tobacco products, depicting the negative effects that smoking has on health.
Meanwhile, the tobacco industry is fighting back against countries, which are moving towards meeting the obligations of a World Health Organisation treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The tobacco industry has taken aggressive measures to weaken public health efforts to ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
In response to banning point-of-sale tobacco displays, or creating standardised packaging for brands, the tobacco industry has sued governments in national courts and through international trade mechanisms.
In addition, the tobacco industry uses sponsorship and corporate social responsibility tactics to trick public opinion, and to maintain a façade of respectability and good intentions, whilst behind the scenes they take action to hijack the political and legislative process.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa is joining the Department of Health to bring together health promoters, nurses, environmental health officers and others involved in health promotion around tobacco on 31 May. They will share the latest updates on research into tobacco, tobacco control legislation and other aspects of a healthy lifestyle, to raise awareness and empower health workers to take this knowledge out into their communities and workplaces.
This is part of a larger initiative driven by the Western Cape Tobacco Control Task Team, of which the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa is a member, working in partnership with the National and Western Cape Department of Health. The group also collaborates with CANSA, the TB/HIV Care Association and the National Council Against Smoking. The series of events leading up to World No Tobacco Day will also include a school debate, community dialogue and smoking cessation training for health workers.
For support to quit smoking, call the Heart and Stroke Health Line on 0860 1 HEART (0860 1 43278).
