The Tobacco Institute of South Africa (Tisa) says it is “highly surprised” that the Tobacco Bill will be published on Friday without even the least form of consultation.
“Although we have not studied the Bill, it appears from the Health Department’s statement that it does not only contain a few minor changes. Some of the changes seem to be far-reaching and could impact severely on the tobacco industry and other associated industries like the hospitality and retail industries,” said Tisa CEO Francois van der Merwe.
“It amazes us that a serious Bill like this could be published without even the least form of consultation. The industry supports regulation of tobacco products and accepts the department’s responsibility towards health issues; however, these regulations must be reasonable, sustainable, enforceable and workable.
“The industry offered assistance many times to help the department in developing sensible regulation. Unfortunately the democratic principle of negotiation does not exist for the tobacco industry,” Van der Merwe asserted.
“To make proper submissions will require in-depth study and opinions on the Bill regarding a range of issues and we are not sure that one month is sufficient time to do so, given that no prior consultation took place.
“Given the time of year and the fact that the legislation will only go through the parliamentary process next year, it makes no sense to rush this issue now. The powerful tool of talking is available to us, let’s use it and end up with a win-win situation for all,” he added. — I-Net Bridge