By Savera Kalideen, Sharon Nyatsanza, Pamela Naidoo, Lorraine Govender and Catherine Egbe
It is not ideal for smokers to have to suddenly stop smoking without having had the time to make that decision themselves. But these are not ideal times for anyone and there are many sources of support, and counselling for smokers who want help to cope with withdrawal symptoms.
South Africa is now entering the third week since President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a State of National Disaster and the country was put on lockdown due to Covid-19. The lockdown signalled that life as we knew it could not continue as normal and it was not “business as usual”. The global pandemic had reached our shores, and one of the best-known ways to reduce transmission was to practice physical distancing of between one and two metres between people and to limit the size of public gatherings.
The lockdown regulations introduced a number of restrictions on daily life including restricting all workers – except essential workers – to their homes and limiting the items that could be purchased to essentials such as food, medicines, some baby essentials and toiletries. Cigarettes, e-cigarettes, snuff and hookah pipes were not included as either “essential” or “basic” items, and are not on sale during the lockdown.