TOBACCO giant British American Tobacco SA on Tuesday launched a company website which includes tips on how to “reduce risk levels” of smoking and even quit. Batsa describes the site, with over 500 pages, as South Africa’s “most comprehensive, one-stop-shop on tobacco issues”. The site is part of a Batsa initiative to position itself as a company aware of its “corporate and social responsibility”. The launch comes as the department of health prepares to tighten up South Africa’s anti-smoking legislation, already some of the toughest in the world, and the tobacco industry comes under increasing pressure internationally. Batsa communications manager Fay Kajee said: “Because we manufacture and distribute a legal, yet risky product, we believe it is all the more important that we do so responsibly and openly.” The website says Batsa strongly believes smoking should only be for adults who are aware of the risks. It also says the largest study on second-hand-smoke, undertaken by the World Health Organisation (WHO), found no meaningful increase in lung cancer risk for living, working, travelling or socialising with a smoker. However acting director of the National Council Against Smoking Peter Ucko said it had been “emphatically” proved that second-hand-smoke was dangerous. – Sapa
THEY SAID IT, from Sapa
“I can assure you that I took no offence. I think it’s good that people feel at liberty to raise such questions in public.”
– Former president Nelson Mandela reacting to rightwing objections to his presence at a wreath-laying ceremony at a statue of Boer scout commander Danie Theron.
“The State has no legitimate interest in the reasons why people engage in sexual activity.”
– An advocate arguing for the legalisation of prostitution in the Constitutional Court.
“To victimise him for having defended the highest principles of his profession and for standing up for his most vulnerable and poor patients, is unjust in terms of all civilised and humane ethical standards.”
– A report by leading medical ethicists denouncing the firing of hospital superintendent Thys von Mollendorff, who allowed anti-HIV medicines to be distributed to rape victims.
“Non-payment has become a national occupation.”
– Deputy Justice Minister Cheryl Gillwald on men who fail to keep their maintenance obligations.
“I’m bringing in a patient, male, about nine months old, weighing 250g and extremely hairy.”
— Dr Curt Minnie to the Chris Barnard Memorial Hospital as he rushed his kitten in for emergency treatment. The cat, JC, had stopped breathing but was saved by an operation.
“You spend a year-and-a-half not being able to sleep, just being in sheer terror of potentially messing up the Muhammad Ali story. It’s just something you do once.”
– Actor Will Smith, saying he did not have plans to play former president Nelson Mandela in any future movies. He was in Johannesburg promoting his new film, Ali.
“I was not happy about that… because I know that I had a right to appeal to the highest court, and they did not want to give me that chance.”
– Murder suspect Sizwe Gaqa, who had a bullet, which police believed to be evidence, removed from his leg following a Cape High Court ruling that this could be done without his permission.