Tobacco Bill a threat to jobs, foundation says

The Free Market Foundation (FMF) has called on legislators to review the recently tabled Tobacco Products & Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, saying it will have devastating effects on the economy and lead to unemployment. According to a Weekend Argus report, the FMF’s Martin van Staden said the SA public policy agenda should be focused on the big issues that are wrecking the nation, not on nibbling away at consumer choice. ‘Rather than deal with the multitude of real crises that threaten South Africans’ lives and livelihoods, Parliament and its Health Portfolio Committee are fine-tuning a law that seeks to ban smoking and vaping in private premises – including our own homes,’ said Van Staden. Van Staden noted the Bill would prohibit owners of any property accessible to the public from allowing people to smoke, even in designated areas. He said property owners who employ domestic workers would be prohibited from smoking in their own homes should the Bill be adopted. If the goal was to create even more unemployment by causing the domestic helpers of smokers to be ‘let go’, it would be ‘mission accomplished,’ he said.

Full Weekend Argus report