Prohibition of smoking of tobacco products in public places including the workplace

• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Smoking - Law and legislation - South Africa; Smoking in the workplace; Smoking in the workplace - Law and legislation
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5636

M.B.A. === The South African Minister of Health has, in terms of Section 2 of the South African Tobacco Products Control Act, 1993 (Act No. 83 of 1993), as amended, declared the public places specified in the Regulations as permissible smoking areas, subject to the conditions also specified in the Regulations. "Swanepoel et al., (2000:597) argues that it is common knowledge today that smoking causes health problems. These problems can basically be categorised into two groups: The health implications for the employee who smokes; and The health and other implications for non-smoking employees who become passive smokers as a result of their colleagues' smoking habits. Apart from the implications for the smoker, there are also major implications for the non-smoking employees and for the organisation as a whole. It follows that, if cigarette smoke is a health risk for the smoker, it must also be so for the non-smoker. The breathed-out smoke contains the same harmful ingredients (such as carbon monoxide and recognised carcinogens — in other words, chemicals that cause cancer) to which the smoker is exposed. In addition, smoking often bothers non-smokers, causing conflict, hostility, negative feelings, deteriorating interpersonal relations — all of which may impact negatively on workforce morale and productivity. There is no single approach and policy for all organisations. The general principles, however, are that a working party should be established, the issue should be raised, the workforce should be consulted and the policy must then be formulated and implemented. It is in the interest of good industrial relations to work out an agreed policy between the company, employees and their representative trade unions (if any), taking into account the interest of smokers and non-smokers, rather than merely imposing an immediate and total ban. The control of smoking in the workplace through a professional process of formulating and implementing an appropriate non-smoking policy will enhance the healthiness or wellness of both smoking and non-smoking employees". The aim of this research is to assess the perceptions of smoking as well as nonsmoking employees of the said regulations of the Act and to assess if the targeted companies adhered to the new Regulations. Employees of three different companies in the Johannesburg in the Gauteng area in South Africa will be ask to complete questionnaires regarding the New Smoking Regulations in South Africa.