South Africa passes stricter anti-smoking laws

South Africa's National Assembly Thursday passed a draft legislation that will dramatically increase the penalties for those found guilty of contravening anti-smoking laws.

The Tobacco Products Control Amendment Bill aims to close loopholes in existing legislation that are "exploited by the tobacco industry and make prosecutions for contravention... very difficult."

The bill amends certain definitions in the original act, including that of a "public place." This now means "any indoor, enclosed or partially enclosed area which is open to the public and includes a workplace, a club and a public conveyance."

The bill increases -- from 200 rand (about 27.55 U.S. dollars) to 50,000 rand (6,887.05 dollars)-- the maximum fine that can be imposed on the owner of an establishment who allows smoking in a nonsmoking area.

It also increases, from 200,000 rand (27,548.21 dollars) to 1 million rand (137,741 dollars), the maximum fine for manufacturing tobacco products that do not comply with prescribed standards.

And it raises the maximum fine for an employer found guilty of exposing his employees to tobacco smoke, from 10,000 rand (1,377. 41 dollars) to 100,000 rand (13,774.10 dollars).

The bill is the first of two pieces of new anti-smoking legislation. A second bill, which will introduce graphic health warnings on cigarette packets, is expected to be tabled later this year.

Opening debate on the measure in the House, Deputy Health Minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge told members of parliament a 2004 survey had found 31 percent of men and 11 percent of women in South Africa were smokers.

Source: Xinhua