The Tobacco Products Control Act was introduced in South Africa in 1993, where smoking has been rated the second highest health concern, after HIV/AIDS.
This act has been amended several times during the past decade and today South Africa has some of the strictest tobacco control measures ever adopted by the government of a developing country.
It is estimated that cigarette consumption has fallen dramatically since the early 1990s while the percentage of adult smokers in the country has dropped from 32 to 26.5 percent.
These amendments will also aim to bring the current law into compliance with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
The former minister Madlala-Routledge was quoted: The Bill further proposes a number of amendments to the Act, which are designed to promote health and prevent diseases.