Dirty Tobacco: Spies, Lies and Mega-Profits by Telita Snyckers is out now.
As a former smoker myself, I was hit hard by the recent ban on cigarettes. Like every other nicotine addict, I had stocked up just enough to ride out those first 21 days – which then became 35 days. Then, the second bombshell dropped: we had finally made it to Level 4, but cigarettes were still banned. Smokers were outraged, to say the least.
So people turned to the black market to get their nicotine fix. People were meeting up in empty parking lots, exchanging money for a pack of cigarettes like they were buying cocaine. My Facebook feed was in an uproar; that infamous photograph of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma with tobacco trader Adriano Mazzotti was doing the rounds; and theories began to circulate that the South African government was in bed with cigarette smugglers. It seemed our only hope was for Big Tobacco to take them to court.
So of course, when I came upon Telita Snyckers’s book Dirty Tobacco: Spies, Lies and Mega-Profits, I was intrigued. Was there any truth to all the conspiracy theories? I had to talk to the author herself.
DIRTY TOBACCO
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 2020 من Fairlady.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 2020 من Fairlady.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
'DESIRE IS NOT WHAT MATTERS'
Emily Nagoski wrote the book on women and desire - literally. And then her own sex life dried up. Here's what a prolonged sex drought (and a load of research) taught her about maintaining intimacy in a long-term relationship.
'We have to tell HARD STORIES'
Theatre director and playwright Yaël Farber is spending time in South Africa after her critically acclaimed run of King Lear at the Almeida Theatre in London. We chatted to her about the importance of the pursuit of truth.
THE WHY, THE WHICH & the wardrobe
We really got into it this month! Read on for more on the allure of a loosey-goosey jumpsuit, vintage-hunting and jingle-jangling jewellery, the best places to find quality African design and short-girl styling tips.
LIFT your GAME
Thought weightlifting was just for bodybuilders and powerlifters? Not so. In fact, 'lifting heavy shit' may be the secret to longevity, hormone regulation and mood for women through perimenopause and beyond.
TREATMENT PLAN ON YOUR MARKS
Armed with a six-month programme from Dr Nerina Wilkinson + Associates, Jennifer Morin set about tackling her sun damage and melasma.
PLAYING YOUR CARDS RIGHT
Here's how to get the most out of loyalty cards.
BIG SKY Country
Namibia. Twelve friends, five vehicles, 4000 km, thirteen days. Eight punctures, one angle grinder. One martial eagle, one full moon, one ghost town. Plenty of top-quality braais, maybe not quite enough oysters... and the best time ever.
IS YOUR HOME MAKING YOU SICK?
Leaks, damp and poor ventilation in old or poorly built new homes are being fingered for a growing health concern: mould.
HOW TO REALLY GET TO KNOW SOMEONE
The Korean word 'nunchi' describes 'the ability to be sensitive to other people's moods and thoughts'. It's an underrated skill that we seem to have lost.
How to write a memoir
Whether you want to share your experiences and insights with the world, leave a legacy or track pivotal experiences for yourself, writing your memoir can be a grand and worthwhile adventure. Here's some advice on how and where to begin.
