Yesterday the American Lung Association warned that e-cigarettes are not safe and can cause irreversible lung damage and disease.
The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US says that more than 450 cases of severe lung disease linked to the use of e-cigarettes have been reported. Symptoms include breathing difficulties, shortness of breath and sometimes chest pain before patients were hospitalized. Other symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea and fatigue, while in hospital, patients experience pneumonia and respiratory failure.
The US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) has collected 120 samples to try and identify the chemical that is the
cause of the illnesses. The chemical samples collected include nicotine, cannabinoids, additives, and pesticides.
The CDC has asked the public to stop using
e-cigarettes because of these cases of severe illness that they are seeing. We
agree.
There is plenty of evidence already to show
that e-cigarettes are harmful. With these deaths, we are seeing new levels of
harm.
E-cigarettes are being used in South Africa
without any information about what’s in the liquid they are buying. There is
also no health warning or information about the likely impact of using
e-cigarettes on the product. The lack of regulation of e-cigarettes in South
Africa has resulted in a proliferation of outlets selling these products
without providing this basic information to users.
The Draft Tobacco Bill released for public comment in over a year ago in 2018, includes the regulation of e-cigarettes. The Bill has not yet been passed. We urge government to pass the Bill urgently so that the sale of e-cigarettes can be regulated. Lives are at stake!
We recommend that smokers who would like to
stop smoking avoid the use of e-cigarettes, and instead speak to a doctor or
pharmacist about other ways to stop smoking, including nicotine replacement
therapy.
The National Council Against Smoking runs a telephone counselling quitline (011 7203145) where smokers can get advice and support to help them stop smoking. CANSA has an online support site to help smokers to stop.
The Government Gazette is calling for comments to the Draft Policy for the Provision of Quality Education and Support for Children with Severe to Profound Intellectual Disability as well as on the Draft Learning Programme.
The Draft Policy is the culmination of deliberations since 2011 of the Inter-Departmental Forum with representation from the Departments of Health, Social Development, Transport, Public Works, Co-Operative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the Western Cape Provincial Government. Together with the Draft Policy, a Learning Programme has also been developed to guide caregivers and teachers on how to provide stimulation to children so as to maximise their development and learning.
Comments to both draft policy documents MUST BE submitted by 9 December 2016.
Comments must be submitted on the template that is provided and addressed to
Mrs M Schoeman at [email protected].
For any further enquiries, please contact
Dr M Simelane at 012 357 4082
Mrs Schoeman at 012 357 4084
Ms M Chaane at 012 357 4105
All documents, including the response template can be downloaded from the NCDs Knowledge Base: Click here for download
A consultation session to finalise the policy document and Learning Programme is being arranged for 12 and 13 January 2017. A formal invitation will be sent regarding this.
The Government Gazette is calling for comments to the Draft Policy for the Provision of Quality Education and Support for Children with Severe to Profound Intellectual Disability as well as on the Draft Learning Programme.
The Draft Policy is the culmination of deliberations since 2011 of the Inter-Departmental Forum with representation from the Departments of Health, Social Development, Transport, Public Works, Co-Operative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the Western Cape Provincial Government. Together with the Draft Policy, a Learning Programme has also been developed to guide caregivers and teachers on how to provide stimulation to children so as to maximise their development and learning.
Comments to both draft policy documents MUST BE submitted by 9 December 2016.
Comments must be submitted on the template that is provided and addressed to
Mrs M Schoeman at [email protected].
For any further enquiries, please contact
Dr M Simelane at 012 357 4082
Mrs Schoeman at 012 357 4084
Ms M Chaane at 012 357 4105
All documents, including the response template can be downloaded from the NCDs Knowledge Base: Click here for download
A consultation session to finalise the policy document and Learning Programme is being arranged for 12 and 13 January 2017. A formal invitation will be sent regarding this.
