The house of representatives on Tuesday passed an anti-smoking bill which prohibits the smoking of tobacco in public places across the country.
While considering the report of the committee on health and justice for an act to provide for the regulation of the production, importation, sponsorship, distribution, sale and smoking of cigarettes and other tobacco products and to repeal the existing act, the legislators adopted a position that people who smoke cigarettes in public are subject to four months imprisonment, a NGN 50,000 (EUR 331) fine or both.
Smoking will be forbidden in hospitals, government offices, nursery, primary and secondary schools, among others. Furthermore, any person who sells cigarettes to individuals under 18 years will be prosecuted and be liable to two months imprisonment, a NGN 50,000 fine or both.
The house also ratified the recommendation of the committee that manufacturers who fail to put labels on the front and back of cigarette packs that say "smoking kills" should be subject to a fine of NGN 100,000. (pi)