More regulation and taxation alone will not be enough to end smoking says, Philip Morris South Africa
The draft Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, will not effectively reduce cigarette sales or smoking-related harm in the country, according to Philip Morris South Africa.
The Bill is fiercely debated and there have been calls by some to accelerate its implementation.
“On one side of the debate are those who would see less harmful nicotine products including e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and Snus, regulated the same as the most harmful products, namely cigarettes,” says Rishaad Hajee, Head of Corporate Communications at Philip Morris South Africa. “This approach doesn’t consider the growing body of scientific evidence which shows that not all nicotine-containing products are the same and turns a blind eye to the principle of tobacco harm reduction.”
Hajee explains that tobacco harm reduction (THR) is the principle of replacing cigarettes, which are known to be the most harmful form of nicotine consumption, with smoke-free products that are better alternatives for those adults who would otherwise continue to smoke. “These alternatives are not risk-free but can be a much better choice than cigarettes. The burning of tobacco produces the vast majority of harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke, and by eliminating the burning process—as is the case with these products—the levels of harmful chemicals generated can be significantly reduced compared with cigarette smoke,” he adds.
“On the other side of the debate are those who, like us, understand that despite being aware of the evident health risks, many adult smokers continue to smoke cigarettes,” he says. “These adult smokers would clearly benefit from access to accurate information about better alternatives so they can make informed decisions about their health, relative to continued smoking.”
Public health experts agree that the harmful chemicals released from burning tobacco are the main cause of smoking related diseases, not nicotine. While they contain nicotine, which is addictive and not risk free, smoke-free alternatives generate lower levels of harmful chemicals and have an important role to play in reducing the health burden caused by smoking cigarettes.
In Japan, between 2015 and 2019, the total cigarette sales in Japan dropped by 34%, which can be associated with the introduction of heated tobacco products.
“South Africa can achieve similar success if it implements regulatory frameworks that recognise that not all tobacco products are the same,” Hajee explains. “Sensible regulation is key to striking the right balance. This means adopting regulation that recognizes the role of these alternatives in helping those adults who would otherwise continue to smoke to move away from cigarettes, while protecting youth and non-smokers.”
The draft Bill was first published in 2018 and did not treat alternative nicotine-containing products differently from cigarettes. Hajee states that this indicates that South Africa’s tobacco regulations are not keeping pace with science and innovation and are not including tobacco harm reduction as part of the strategy for tobacco regulation or policy-making.
“The Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill is the perfect opportunity for regulators to review the evidence and facts,” he says. “With the right regulatory encouragement and support from civil society, and the medical and scientific community, cigarette sales can end sooner.”
“Scientific evidence and transparency remain our strongest tools to achieve this and enable people to make informed decisions,” Hajee adds. “The 11 million men and women who smoke in South Africa deserve nothing less.”
