Few lockdown regulations have caused as much unhappiness as the ban on the sale of cigarettes.

So it was with relief that smokers – and those supporting their right to smoke – welcomed the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa during an address to the nation ahead of moving from level 5 to level 4 restrictions that the ban was to be lifted.

A survey by the HSRC found cigarettes (11.8%) were more accessible than alcohol (2.5%) during lockdown, while an armed robbery at Makro Centurion showed criminals will also go to any lengths to get cigarettes to sell.

To read the full article online click here