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This was the news here today! And I'm proud to be one of the 78% not smoking. These are pretty heavy fines, R5 will get you a tin of coke.
"CapeTown - The national assembly has passed draft legislation that will dramatically increase the penalties for those found guilty of breaking anti-smoking laws.
The Tobacco Products Control Amendment Bill aims to close loopholes in existing legislation that are "exploited by the tobacco industry and make prosecutions for contravention... very difficult".
The bill amends certain definitions in the original act, including that of a "public place".
This now means "any indoor, enclosed or partially enclosed area which is open to the public and includes a workplace, a club and a public conveyance".
The bill increases - from R200 to R50 000 - the maximum fine that can be imposed on the owner of an establishment who allows smoking in a non-smoking area.
Maximum fines rocket
It also increases, from R200 000 to R1million, the maximum fine for manufacturing tobacco products that do not comply with prescribed standards.
And it raises the maximum fine for an employer found guilty of exposing his employees to tobacco smoke, from R10 000 to R100 000.
The bill is the first of two pieces of new anti-smoking legislation.
A second bill, which will introduce graphic health warnings on cigarette packets, is expected to be tabled later this year.
Existing legislation had been successful in reducing the percentage of smokers in the population from about 25% in 1998 to about 22% in 2004. "
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