There has been a surge in patients being treated for illnesses related to home-brewed alcohol and home-made cigarettes.
The popularity of illicit products has allowed those manufacturing their own beers and cigarettes not only to take advantage of demand and inflate prices, but to take chances with ingredients that could leave consumers sick – or even dead.
“We’ve had over 50 patients brought in for alcohol and cigarette experiment cases. Some had collapsed, while others were already vomiting when they arrived. This is dangerous if people aren’t careful,” he said. Sphamandla Nkosi told City Press that these home-made products had long existed, but were gaining popularity due to the ban.
Government’s about-turn on the sale of tobacco products has seen desperate smokers turn to the internet to search for ways of making their own cigarettes. This includes using ingredients such as tea leaves.“Honestly, this ban is killing us slowly. It’s not easy to go for days without a cigarette, which is why we opt for the home-made method. The teabag cigarette with snuff is an option; it tastes like Peter Stuyvesant.
While many in the industry acknowledge the importance of supporting national efforts to fight the coronavirus, there is frustration about an arbitrary approach which is causing significant damage to many businesses and resulting in more than R1 billion a month being lost in excise revenue. SA Breweries director Helen Ndlovu echoed that the black market in alcohol would also continue thriving.
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