"Almost all (93%) of South Africa’s estimated 11 million smokers are still able to do so, data from the Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products (REEP) at the University of Cape Town shows.
This is despite a nationwide ban on the sale of tobacco products since 27 March 2020 – pointing to millions of illegal transactions taking place across the country every day.
According to court submissions made by government in its battle against fair trade group, FITA – in the latter’s bid to get the ban reversed – the prohibition on tobacco sales was put in place to stop South Africans from smoking, for health reasons tied to the Covid-19 pandemic."
https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/419069/almost-all-smokers-in-south-africa-are-still-lighting-up-despite-ban-research-shows/
This is despite a nationwide ban on the sale of tobacco products since 27 March 2020 – pointing to millions of illegal transactions taking place across the country every day.
According to court submissions made by government in its battle against fair trade group, FITA – in the latter’s bid to get the ban reversed – the prohibition on tobacco sales was put in place to stop South Africans from smoking, for health reasons tied to the Covid-19 pandemic."
https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/419069/almost-all-smokers-in-south-africa-are-still-lighting-up-despite-ban-research-shows/