Call for total ban on tobacco in SA

South Africa’s health minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, has said that the government will not let up on its attempt to eliminate smoking in South Africa, according to a story in The Post.

Tobacco, he added, made no positive contribution to humanity. All it did was death, he added.

Motsoaledi was speaking in Pretoria at the release of the SA National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).

According to the survey, also known as SANHANES-1, tobacco control policy had succeeded in halving the number of adult smokers during the past 20 years.

But while there had been a marked reduction in the prevalence of smoking in the country, the report cited exposure to environmental tobacco smoke as a major cause for concern.

The Post said that in its recommendations, SANHANES-1 called for the “expeditious implementation of legislation proposing a total ban on tobacco.”