Cansa Free State has reminded locals to show their support for the new proposed South African Tobacco Bill to pass.
“Cansa fully supports the Ministry of Health’s proposed Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill that may require all enclosed and some outdoor public areas to be 100% smoke-free,” reads a social media post by Cansa Free State.
According to a media statement by Cansa, “Medical research over the past two decades indicates that non-smokers – when breathing second-hand smoke – may suffer the same diseases as active smokers. Second-hand smoke contains over 4 000 chemicals and has twice as much tar and nicotine as smoke inhaled from a cigarette.”
Lorraine Govender, National Manager for Health Promotion at Cansa, added that tobacco use is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced.
“As reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2018, 650 million – or almost half of the world’s children – breathe ‘air polluted by second-hand’ smoke. Another report, issued by the National Council Against Smoking, indicates that 25 704 die from tobacco-related diseases in South Africa and over 8 million people worldwide each year, including 1,2 million non-smokers who die from secondhand smoke.”
Furthermore, strict tobacco control will not only be good news for health but will also be good for the economy as the South African economy loses “R42 billion each year from treating tobacco-related illnesses combined with the loss of productivity caused by early deaths.”
“Cansa not only supports the proposed Bill but also those people affected by smoking.”
“If you or your loved one needs help to quit smoking, go to the Cansa online eKickbutt support programme giving helpful tools to quit and for more smoking and cancer-related health facts and information,” concluded Govender.
The Bill currently is in parliament and open for public comments until 4 September 2023.
If you would like to show your support of the proposed Bill follow this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjWlMn59a9z58aNNN6UYWWAeP14_m7p0oJQARaSGg7QxED7Q/viewform
Compiled by Gypseenia Lion
