Nigeria to Toughen Tobacco Rules

The bill would add a fine for smoking in non-smoking areas and ban tobacco advertising.

April 11, 2014

ABUJA, Nigeria – The federal government of Nigeria has tightened tobacco restrictions, proposing a higher fine for smoking in non-smoking areas as well as prison terms for CEOs of tobacco firms that violate the new laws, Premium Times reports.

The Executive Council of the Federation (FEC) approved the new Tobacco Control Bill 2014 this week. Now the bill moves to the National Assembly.

"Now the areas that are being targeted include the environment. We want to produce 100% tobacco free environment for people (who) do not want anything to do with tobacco use,” said Onyebuchi Chukwu, minister of Health. “And so places will be clearly designated whether public places, whether indoors or outdoors will be clearly designated as non smoking area.”

The measure also forbids advertising by tobacco firms and adds large warning labels on packaging. “Any form of advertisement is not permitted, either in broadcast, print, outdoors,” said Chukwu. “The bill is also looking at packaging, 50% of the package should be to warn people about the use of tobacco.”

This bill isn’t the first time the Nigerian government has tried to initiate tobacco regulations. “In 1990 we had a decree which tried to place some control on the sale and use of tobacco products and in 2001, it was repealed and re/enacted to become the National Tobacco Control Act of 2001; the whole idea is to make it even stiffer,” said Chukwu.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement