South Africans must rank among the most accommodating citizens to government interference with their lifestyles.
For instance, most South Africans agree that alcohol plays a role in elevated social decay, including gender-based violence, road accidents and murder. Thus, any measures to control drinking are considered justifiable in the eyes of many. Similarly, many South Africans view smoking as a dirty habit and tend to support legislation that seemingly seeks to protect non-smokers by limiting the rights of smokers.
The Tobacco Products & Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill seeks to punish adult smokers and vapers, as well as the purveyors of these products. This includes big tobacco companies, small vaping companies, as well as informal traders, spazas and shebeens. The legislation proposes sentences ranging from three months and 20 years in jail for such ghastly infractions as smoking in your own house or in your own vehicle when there is a non-smoker or non-vaper present.
Today it is the turn of alcohol and tobacco. Tomorrow it may be sugar, salt, cake, potato crisps or any number of other items or behaviour our public health police deem to be bad for us. Already, moves are afoot in this area, with hare-brained campaigns for food labelling and further reducing the sugar content of sugar-sweetened beverages. Where does this government overreach stop?Many of us take these policies by the government as an actual attempt by the government to alter behaviour.
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