Social media have been sharing a post stating that smoking in cars with children will become illegal in October, this isn’t true… It is already illegal!
This quest for information started after seeing a tweet by local celeb Bobby van Jaarsveld celebrating the news of the new law. He asked if the information was for real? And stated that if so, it was the best news SA has had in a while.
We loved Bobby’s attitude towards protecting the children of South Africa so we thought we would share the information we found about the current laws in place to protect children from second-hand smoke.
Here are the facts…
Smoking in a car with a child under the age of 12 is illegal and if caught, a fine of up to R500 could be issued. This law has been in place for a few years, and a publication of it was done in May 2015 by the City of Cape Town. You can read the Tobacco Control Legislation here.
These are a few other important smoking laws that are in place to protect children.
- No person may smoke in any motor vehicle car when a child under the age of 12 years is present in that vehicle.
- No person may smoke any tobacco product in a private dwelling if that private dwelling is used for any commercial childcare activity, or for schooling or tutoring.Fines involved: The smoker: Maximum of R500 & The owner of the crèche: Maximum R50 000
- No person may sell or supply any confectionery or toy that resembles or is intended to represent any tobacco product.
There are more laws, like not selling to anyone under the age of 18 or that nobody under the age of 18 may be present in a smoking section. We feel these are common knowledge though so have omitted them from the list.
So we hope this brings some clarity about the laws in place to protect children.
Is this for real !?
If it is, then it's the best news this country has had in years !!!!!
Can I get a AMEN on that? #ProtectOurKids
🏆🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/ortRkfnGe1— Bobby van Jaarsveld (@bobbyvjaarsveld) September 5, 2017
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