British American Tobacco says new smoking legislation is critically flawed
British American Tobacco and other organisations were making submissions during public hearings on the bill in Parliament.
Picture: Pixabay.com
CAPE TOWN - Multinational cigarette manufacturer, British American Tobacco (BAT), said new smoking legislation is critically flawed and will be devastating for the compliant cigarette market.
The company said the tobacco products and electronic delivery systems control bill only targets registered cigarette companies and does nothing to target the illicit trade.
BAT and other organisations were making submissions during public hearings on the bill in Parliament.
The bill was drawn up by the Health Department to regulate smoking and the sale and advertising of tobacco products as electronic delivery systems or vapes.
But the legislation has been met with opposition by one of the country’s biggest cigarette manufacturers.
BAT’s head of corporate & regulatory affairs, Johnny Moloto, said that while the intention to reduce smoking is a good one, the bill will affect only a small portion of the industry.
"BAT believes that the fundamental flaw in this bill is that it will only affect 25% of the tobacco market. This impact will only be felt by a small compliant minority while the illicit majority thrives."
Moloto said the sections of the bill the company is concerned with, hands the health minister a “blank cheque” to dictate every aspect of the industry, including the power to ban categories like flavours used by smokers.