S.A. Addiction Industry Accountability Petition

See http://www.aac.org.za (Scroll down)

• South Africa is addicted to tax from corporates who sell addictive products or services. Government must become independent of its dependency to sin taxes.

• South Africa's dependency to income derived from addictive products and or services, actually ENABLES ADDICTION. Sin taxes should be used exclusively for the purposes of treatment as well as addiction prevention.

• Industries that sell addictive products or services should be held financially accountable for the treatment costs of people who are addicted to their products etc. Namely cigarette, alcohol, casinos, pornographers and pharmaceutical companies.

• The country's consciousness concerning the severity of addiction in S.A. needs to change. Government must become actively involved in educating South Africans about the dangers of using ANY substance, product or service which is addictive.

• More people in S.A. are addicted to a substance, product, service or behaviour than there are people living with HIV/AIDS. Government must publicly admit this fact and present a plan of action to the South African people on how they will strive towards a society free of addiction.

• The most dangerous addictive services and products are all legal. If alcohol or cigarettes were invented today, they would be illegal because they are so dangerous. Government must do everything in its power to remover these products from the South African market place.
• S.A.'s drug consumption is double the world norm.
• More than 15% of South Africans are problem drug users.
  

What is the AAC's purpose?

1) To be a national addiction / substance abuse partner in addressing the issue effectively.

2) To be the most well informed organisation on the issue of addiction in S.A.

3) To maintain the availability and relevance of information and statistics.

4) To challenge but also assist Government in becoming transparent on taxes collected from "sin" industries.

5) To challenge but also assist Government & "sin" industries to use taxes and profits generated from these industries for:

i) A national addiction prevention program focused on 7 year olds & upwards which is integrated into the national education curriculum.

ii) A national addiction treatment program which reaches out to the poor i.e. a program that can be understood by illiterate people, which is in their own language & culture-specific.

6) To lobby in parliament & work with various political leaders in changing the laws of South Africa in order to depopularize addictive products and services.

7) To lobby in parliament & work with various political leaders in changing the laws of South Africa, to make prison sentences more severe for drug dealers & traffickers.

8) To work with the criminal justice system in creating diversion treatment programs for people who commit criminal offences under the compulsion of addiction or substance dependency. Such programmes would aim to keep them out of prison so that they can first complete an addiction / substance dependency treatment programme. Those who respond well could have charges withdrawn or receive reduced and/or suspended sentences with the prospect of heavier penalties if they re-offend.

9) To establish an independent AAC recovery assistance fund which would help all South Africans receive proper addiction / substance dependency treatment regardless of race, religion, age, gender or sexual preference.

See http://www.aac.org.za (Scroll down)

• South Africa is addicted to tax from corporates who sell addictive products or services. Government must become independent of its dependency to sin taxes.

• South Africa's dependency to income derived from addictive products and or services, actually ENABLES ADDICTION. Sin taxes should be used exclusively for the purposes of treatment as well as addiction prevention.

• Industries that sell addictive products or services should be held financially accountable for the treatment costs of people who are addicted to their products etc. Namely cigarette, alcohol, casinos, pornographers and pharmaceutical companies.

• The country's consciousness concerning the severity of addiction in S.A. needs to change. Government must become actively involved in educating South Africans about the dangers of using ANY substance, product or service which is addictive.

• More people in S.A. are addicted to a substance, product, service or behaviour than there are people living with HIV/AIDS. Government must publicly admit this fact and present a plan of action to the South African people on how they will strive towards a society free of addiction.

• The most dangerous addictive services and products are all legal. If alcohol or cigarettes were invented today, they would be illegal because they are so dangerous. Government must do everything in its power to remover these products from the South African market place.
• S.A.'s drug consumption is double the world norm.
• More than 15% of South Africans are problem drug users.
  

What is the AAC's purpose?

1) To be a national addiction / substance abuse partner in addressing the issue effectively.

2) To be the most well informed organisation on the issue of addiction in S.A.

3) To maintain the availability and relevance of information and statistics.

4) To challenge but also assist Government in becoming transparent on taxes collected from "sin" industries.

5) To challenge but also assist Government & "sin" industries to use taxes and profits generated from these industries for:

i) A national addiction prevention program focused on 7 year olds & upwards which is integrated into the national education curriculum.

ii) A national addiction treatment program which reaches out to the poor i.e. a program that can be understood by illiterate people, which is in their own language & culture-specific.

6) To lobby in parliament & work with various political leaders in changing the laws of South Africa in order to depopularize addictive products and services.

7) To lobby in parliament & work with various political leaders in changing the laws of South Africa, to make prison sentences more severe for drug dealers & traffickers.

8) To work with the criminal justice system in creating diversion treatment programs for people who commit criminal offences under the compulsion of addiction or substance dependency. Such programmes would aim to keep them out of prison so that they can first complete an addiction / substance dependency treatment programme. Those who respond well could have charges withdrawn or receive reduced and/or suspended sentences with the prospect of heavier penalties if they re-offend.

9) To establish an independent AAC recovery assistance fund which would help all South Africans receive proper addiction / substance dependency treatment regardless of race, religion, age, gender or sexual preference.

The office of the South African President,

Dear Mr. President,

We the undersigned:

1) Wish to petition the South African Government to use all "sin" taxes collected from companies who produce addictive products or services for:

a) Creating a national addiction education program, which is integrated into the South African school system, that targets pupils from age 7 upwards about the dangers of all addictions.

b) Creating a national addiction treatment fund to be used for the rehabilitation costs South African citizens who have become addicted to anything, whether or it is a legal product or service or not.

2) Wish to petition the South African government to work together with The Addiction Action Campaign to make companies who produce addictive products of services, financially accountable for the recovery costs of South African citizens who have become addicted to them.

Thank you for taking the time to read our petition.