Covid-19. 2020;18(March). The ban on the sale of tobacco products and any calls by governments for smokers to quit during the COVID-19 pandemic need to be accompanied by initiatives that aid smokers in this course of action. To the best of my knowledge Botswana and neighbouring South Africa are the only countries to have done so. Health, Sefako Makgatho Some of these are to help reduce violence against children, while South Africa has also banned smoking. Last month, Saudi Arabia banned smokingin government spaces and several public places, including supermarkets, coffee shops and restaurants and prohibits selling tobacco to … The justifications behind the bans should be used in other countries to encourage smokers to quit. Tobacco and nicotine products were designated as non-essential goods and their sales prohibited. National Department of Health (NDoH), Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), ICF. The government must facilitate quitting by providing smoking cessation programmes. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0132401. When the government relaxed the lockdown slightly in … The motivation to ban the sales of tobacco and tobacco related products in Botswana was informed by scientific evidence that smoking damages human lungs and other body organs. Governments in both countries have faced a massive backlash, with smokers expressing their unhappiness. Circulation. Pretoria, South Africa, and Rockville, Maryland, USA: NDoH, Stats SA, SAMRC, and ICF; 2019. Write an article and join a growing community of more than 118,600 academics and researchers from 3,811 institutions. A sign assures people that the bar is open during the coronavirus outbreak, outside a pub in Stockholm, Sweden. The National Council Against Smoking’s quitline (011 720 3145), online materials (https://www.againstsmoking.co.za/) and the Cancer Association of South Africa’s online quit tobacco program (https://www.ekickbutt.org.za/) are some good resources accessible to tobacco users to help them quit. South Africa’s lockdown began March 27, and the country banned the sale of cigarettes and cooked food. The double-edged relationship between COVID-19 stress and Smoking and COVID-19: Did we overlook representativeness? Bhutan and Turkmenistan (I don’t know either, refer to Google Maps) have had a go, but the nearest to a total smoking ban in any major country in the twentieth century was one we all know. Countries should take their lead from the global health body. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the world has seen lockdowns in many countries. PloS One. For Botswana the day is particularly poignant. Catherine O. Egbe1,2, Senamile P. Ngobese1. S Afr Med J. doi:10.18332/tid/119324. On account of the devastating impact of smoking on COVID-19, the WHO has put out a scientific brief based on a review of 32 studies. About 22% of South Africans aged ≥15 years use various tobacco products3. Move to a district-based lockdown. The COVID-19 pandemic could particularly be problematic for SA given the high prevalence of diabetes, tuberculosis and HIV in the country, compounded by substance use problem even among vulnerable populations7. During the lockdown only essential goods have been allowed on sale2. The country has banned imports and sales of tobacco or tobacco-related products along with other emergency regulations during the country’s declared six-month state of public emergency. BMC Public Health. "Indications are that the ban on the sale of tobacco products will be extended beyond Level 4 of lockdown and into Level 1," he warned. South Africa Demographic and Health Survey 2016. On Saturday, 21 March, it took the measure further by closing its airports to all international travel for one month. Bontle Mbongwe does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Dear Editor, South Africa (SA) imposed a 21-day lockdown from 26 March to 16 April 2020, through the disaster management Act (57/2002) and amended regulations [Section 27(2)]1, to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the country. The WHO’s recommendation based on the review is that given the well-established harm associated with tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, “tobacco users stop using tobacco”. These actions disregard existing law prohibiting the advertising and promotion of tobacco products in Botswana. 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