S. Africa announces plan to introduce stricter anti-smoking measures

South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on Thursday announced a plan to introduce a series of stricter anti-smoking measures in a bid to stamp out smoking.

One of the measures is to introduce plain-packaged tobacco products, which restricts the use of logos, colours and brand images, the minister said.

The Department of Health is moving to completely abolish the 25 percent of reserved smoking areas in public spaces and ban the display of cigarettes at supermarket kiosks and other counters, he said.

Other measures include removing cigarette vending machines that enable the sale of cigarettes to minors, establishing laws to regulate the use of cigarette substitutes such as hookah pipes and e-cigarettes, and tightening policies on the minimum distance smokers can smoke at public entrances such as airport terminals.

Motsoaledi also said it is against the law for parents to smoke in vehicles with minors, or for them to bring children into enclosed smoking areas.

Motsoaledi said his department is moving forward with regulations to further reduce tobacco usage in South Africa.

The department is looking at a raft of new regulations that will make it tougher for smokers to buy cigarettes and smoke in public spaces, he said over CapeTalk's Breakfast, a radio program.

The minister said South Africa will follow Australia, Britain and France in introducing plain-packaged tobacco products, which restricts the use of logos, colours and brand images.

South Africa is lagging behind, while other nations tighten tobacco regulations, he said.

"There was a compromise by government, we left 25 percent space for smokers (in public areas), and now we are in the process of abolishing it, in other words there should be no 25 percent,"he said.

He said tobacco products are still advertised subtly in outlets, "it must be in an enclosed place where nobody can see it."

This will make it more difficult to buy cigarettes, the minister said. Endit