Monday, 20 January 2014

Smoking In Public To Attract 6-Month Jail Term In Lagos

The Lagos State House of Assembly, yesterday, passed a bill, aimed at banning smoking in public places in the
state. This came after several months of deliberation and public engagement, mainly to sensitise and gather residents’ opinions on the bill. The 16-section bill, said that posting of signs which
states “no smoking,” with a picture depicting a burning cigarette enclosed in a circle with a bar across, should
be displayed in all “no smoking areas.”
The assembly noted that the picture depicting ban of smoking in a particular public place would be prominently posted and properly maintained by the
owner, occupier or person in charge of the “no smoking areas. ”The bill, which, yesterday, scaled through the third
reading, prohibited anybody smoking in all public places including libraries, museum, public toilets, schools, hospital, day care centres, public
transportation and restaurants, among others. The assembly proceeding which was presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said smoking in
public places would attract penalties ranging from three month imprisonment to six month jail term. It said the bill “has been sent to Governor Babatunde
Fashola  for an assent,” even though the development had attracted public outrage, citing infraction on fundamental human rights. Section 4 of the bill said it shall be the duty of those who own or occupy public places to ensure that
approved “no smoking” signs are displayed conspicuously at each entrance and in prominent locations throughout the premises. The bill on no smoking in public places, also stated the
penalties for smoking in a “no smoking area” will be N10,000 fine or imprisonment for a term not less than
one month and not exceeding three months or both. While any person who repeatedly violates the provisions shall on conviction be liable to a fine of
N50, 000 or six month imprisonment or both. The law also states the penalty for non compliance by owner/occupier of a “no smoking area” the offenders
shall attract N100, 000 or 6 month imprisonment, or other non custodial punishment that the judge may
deem fit. It shall be an offense to obstruct a duly authorised officer from carrying out his duties under the provision of this law. The law states that any person who smokes in the presence of a child commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of N15,000 or imprisonment for a month or both.


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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice one Uncle Fashola. Chase those smokers out of Lagos

Unknown said...

Hmmmmmmmm nice one it will help dem 2 stop smokeing fashola is working very soon dey will add no drinking too

Unknown said...

while i am happy about the passage of this wonderful bill am still a bit skeptical about its implementation. The problem of Nigeria has never been the ability to make law but the forthrightness on the part of the government to implement this laws to the later.