The Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill is back in the news. It represents the latest attempt by government to stop being a servant of the people and instead become the people’s babysitter, appointed by our supposed parents, the World Health Organisation. Freedom of choice, perhaps the most important public policy principle in the modern era, features nowhere in government’s thought-processes, as is often the case.
The bill seeks to prohibit all in-restaurant smoking. Since 1999 government has forced restaurants to invest billions of rand in the creation of smoking areas with special ventilation. All that spend will now amount to nothing, as the whimsical state has changed its mind. Naturally, plain packaging is also imposed by the bill. No longer will consumers be able to clearly identify their preferred tobacco products, thus competition will be stifled. Smoking will not decrease, but there will be a consolidation and perhaps even monopolisation within the industry, wiping out smaller players. The bill furthermore prohibits online shopping for tobacco products. And these are only some of the authoritarian, anti-choice rules government hopes to adopt.
It’s about health.CapeTalk JacaNews alanwinde PresidencyZA CyrilRamaphosa DDMabuza DlaminiZuma DrZweliMkhize Radio702 Die_Burger maroelamedia WestCapeHealth STOPLYINGTOTHEPEOPLE STOPTHELOCKDOWN STOP BULLYING and bullshit us
No they must stop looting