South Africa’s Strict Coronavirus Lockdown Has Turned Thousands of Smokers into Criminals
By: Julian Mok
Lexington — The strict coronavirus-lockdown in South Africa has turned thousands of nicotine-users into potential criminals. Since March 27th, President Cyril Ramaphosa has banned the consumption, sale and transport of alcohol and cigarettes, citing that it reduces non-COVID-19 related emergency room visits and improves the general health of the population.
Citizens and legal critics have interpreted this move as a gross overreach of power and an infringement on individual rights. South Africans who want cigarettes and alcohol have turned to illicit sellers who sell these goods at marked-up prices and deprive the government of tax revenue.
South Africa has a disproportionately high rate of smokers and heavy drinkers. More than 9 million South Africans over the age of 15 smoke at least one cigarette a day. 60% citizens of legal drinking age self-identify as “binge drinkers.”
Smoking and drinking are also integral parts of social life in the country. Similar to during The Prohibition, those who want alcohol and cigarettes are able to get these items through a sprawling illicit-goods market. A survey online of 16,000 respondents showed that 90% of people who want to buy cigarettes during lockdown were doing so.
This is contradictory to reports from the National Council Against Smoking, which shows “a doubling in the number of calls” on their quitline. President Rampahosa is desperate to prove to his citizens that banning cigarettes is the right thing to do as more than 500,000 people have already signed an online petition demanding that the government change its mind on the ban.
By continuing to pursue this anti-cigarette and anti-alcohol policy, the government stands to lose a major chunk of government revenue; the illicit-cigarette market cost the government $394 million in tax revenue in 2015 alone.
As South Africa is set to loosen its lockdown on June 1, Ramaphosa has stated that the cigarette ban will remain in place and strict restrictions will be placed on alcohol consumption. Citizens will only be allowed to drink at home and “on specified days and for limited hours.”
The administration cites reports by the WHO, who advise that smokers would be more adversely affected than non-smokers by COVID-19. However, the link between COVID-19 and increased risk of complications is inconclusive, so South African nicotine-users are left to wonder if this is really a move by the government to benefit them or simply an unfounded overreach of power.
Currently, South Africa has reported 23,000 cases of coronavirus and 481 deaths, far more than other countries on the continent. Despite this, Ramaphosa is moving forward with reopening, sending 8 million people back to work on June 1st in manufacturing, construction, financing, information technology, communications, government and media services.
The strict lockdown has proven devastating for some portions of the population. While many lives have likely been saved due to heavily enforced social distancing measures and substance bans, many storeowners are not able to recover from the economic damage. South African Breweries, one of the biggest brewers in the world, said they may have to destroy 400 million bottles of beer because they can neither sell nor transport their product as its warehouses near maximum capacity.
Some critics of the cigarette and alcohol ban note that despite the apparent good intentions of the government, there could be many negative unintended consequences.
Forcing people to drop a habit very suddenly can be harmful to long-term mental health. South Africans looking to purchase cigarettes and alcohol that were legal a mere two months ago make the difficult decision to abide by groundless government decree or risk incrimination by purchasing through an illegal source.