Most restaurant owners support a full ban on smoking in their establishments, according to a recent study. The Cabinet has approved the Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, which provides for a ban on smoking at outdoor public places. The aim of the legislation is to cut demand by prohibiting point-of-sale advertising by requiring retailers to keep tobacco out of sight. It is also intended to introduce plain packaging, with graphic health warnings. The proposed new measures have created uncertainty in the tobacco industry. When they were mooted in 2015, British American Tobacco SA is said to have threatened to shut its plant. The study was done by the University of Cape Town and published in the South African Medical Journal. It canvassed views in the restaurant industry. Its results show restaurants were voluntarily instituting complete bans on smoking on their premises. This is despite current regulations reflecting a more lenient stance on smoking. Me...
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