As we mark Human Rights Day in South Africa, we must consider how tobacco fundamentally violates our right to life, right to health, children’s rights, women’s rights, and our right to a healthy environment  - and what should be done to protect these rights. As partner organisations in the Protect our Next initiative, including the National Council of Smoking (NCAS), the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA (HSFSA), we have been calling for the passing of The Control of Tobacco and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, a comprehensive piece of legislation that has been waiting to be passed since 2018. It’s time for our government to show leadership in the fight to protect our human rights. 

The National Council of Smoking (NCAS), together with #protectournext health organisation partners the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA (HSFSA), have again called upon Minister Mboweni to impose a 100% tobacco tax increase, saying that there are compelling reasons to increase cigarette taxes from the current R17,40 to R34,80 (per pack of 20 cigarettes). 

“In the face of the devastating health and economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, tobacco taxes are an under-utilised way to improve the health of the people and to reduce the pressure on the public purse,” says Dr Sharon Nyatsanza of NCAS. “Cigarettes are still far too affordable, and small negligible increases will not change smoking behaviours that add to the burden of tobacco on our society.” 

4 February is World Cancer Day. CANSA and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) encourage people worldwide to set and achieve personal goals, including improving their health through avoiding tobacco. These health goals enable people to lower their cancer risk and for cancer patients to optimise health, especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Tobacco affects our human rights to life, health and a healthy environment, and must be better regulated, say South Africa’s prominent health organisations forming part of the #protectournext movement. With International Human Rights Day falling on December 10th, these organisations including the National Council Against Smoking, CANSA, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) are joining others around the world in calling for bold action in tobacco control to protect our right to health.  The 2020 theme, ‘Recover Better - Stand Up for Human Rights’ relates to the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on the need to build back better by ensuring Human Rights are central to recovery efforts.