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CAPE Town – Government said it is determined to tighten its tobacco laws that will see plain packaging on cigarette products as part of a global drive to lower the incentive for people to smoke.

Yesterday, which was World No-Tobacco Day, the health department said it plans to strengthen the Tobacco Products Control Act to fall in line with World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

This follows the 2009 law banning smoking in public spaces.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said he plans to toughen the act’s stance on public smoking, ban the selling of cigarettes at shop counters, ban cigarette dispensers and force companies to package their products in brown paper with no branding whatsoever.

Motsoaledi told SABC yesterday that the 2009 law reduced smoking from 25% to 17%.

“It’s definitely working,” he said.

“Many South Africans will tell you they appreciate the clean air.”

However, 44,000 South Africans still die every year as a result of smoking and Motsoaledi said the habit has “no place in modern life”.

Motsoaledi said South Africa has been overtaken on its hard stance on smoking, with the UK, Ireland, Australia and France all banning branded packaging.

New Zealand announced yesterday that it would follow suit to fall in line with WHO recommendations.

“We’ve been overtaken,” said Motsoaledi, revealing his determination to bring South Africa back in line with global trends.

“Public smoking shouldn’t be (allowed) in hospitals at all,” he said.

“At OR Tambo, you move through clouds of smoke when you leave the building.”

That’s why he wants to increase the distance that people can smoke in public space.

Regarding “subtle advertising” at shop counters, he said “we’ll deal with that”.

“They must go hide the cigarettes somewhere else,” he said.

“They mustn’t put it on open counters. Dispensers must also go.”

He said all cigarettes must be in one brown package with graphics that show the damage they can cause. “No branding, no logos, no colours.”

In addition, he said they would also tackle e-cigarettes. – Fin24