National Assembly Cape Town: 27 March 2007  

The IFP is generally NOT in favour of over regulating the private sector. We support the setting of minimum standards by government and good policing of those standards, so that the public does not suffer harm through exploitation, corruption or fraud.

However in the case of the tobacco legislation, the IFP supported the original bill and we support this amendment, although not in total agreement with all aspects of either.

Those who smoke in public places and spaces, unequivocally infringe on the right of others to a fresh and healthy environment. Therefore persons should rightly be prevented from doing so. Since sponsorship and branding creates role models for the youth advertising control is also justified. However this puts a question mark over the entire advertising industry which is manipulative and dishonest by its very nature. We have never supported the ban on tobacco companies sponsoring Arts initiatives, as at that level of sophistication people are usually sufficiently well informed and educated to make up their own minds.

Where industry is concerned it would be far preferable not to have to be so draconian in respect of advertising and product information. However the tobacco industry comes with a long history of deception and must unfortunately pay the price for that.

The invisible hand of Adam Smith has already come into play with the introduction of smokeless tobacco products. These do not have anything like the same levels of harm as smoked tobacco, although their use can also lead to nicotine addiction and excessive use to gum complications. Ironically some work has emerged to suggest that chewed, non smoked tobacco, may have a beneficial effect on helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes peptic ulcers. Hence the IFP proposed that the Bill be amended to make it possible to differentiate between the regulation of smoked tobacco and smokeless tobacco. Transparent research into this area of tobacco usage will reveal a lot more than we currently know, and it seems pointless to try to kill off the legal tobacco industry entirely, while the reality of tobacco usage will remain with us as long as the earth has the capacity to grow it. We proposed to the industry that they investigate using tobacco leaves to produce bio-diesel and hope that our suggestion is followed through.

The effective campaign waged against tobacco smoking is in sharp contrast to the weak kneed approach to other forms of regulation for the sake of the public's health.

Poisonous colorants are still found in food; nitrates and sulphates which are converted to carcinogenic chemicals in our food are freely used in curing meat, like polony, which our schoolchildren eat daily. Trans fats are used in food production. They are carcinogenic and contribute to heart disease. Complementary medicines are not regulated, not are medical devices. Nor, for that matter, are cell phones. Why does government continue to turn a blind eye to these important yet less populist issues, where not even enforceable minimum standards have been introduced and the public has been left casually exposed to harm?


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr Mabalana Sibuyana MP: 083 662 5381
Noleen Hendricks: 082 886 9848