Nigeria: Why Anti-smoking Bill Should be Passed, by Lawmaker

Source from:  The Guardian (Lagos, Nigeria)  05/16/2013

A MEMBER of Lagos State House of Assembly, Gbolahan Yishawu, has said the proposed anti-smoking Bill currently before the House was aimed at preventing non-smokers in the state from second-hand smoke related injuries.

Yishawu, who sponsored the private member Bill told reporters on Tuesday that the bill has nothing to do with outright ban on sales of Tobacco products but "to ensure that smoke coming from the cigarette does not harm other people who do not smoke."

The 'Bill for a law to provide for the regulation of smoking in designated places in Lagos State and for connected purposes' has scaled second reading and was last Friday presented for public hearing.

The 13-paragraphy bill prohibits smoking from premises that are wholly or principally used as workplace; restaurants; bar and nightclubs; shops and shopping centres; hotels; libraries, archives, museum and galleries and all premises used for entertainments.

At the hearing, anti-tobacco campaign groups and tobacco-industry, coupled with tobacco-product distributors, bar and hotel owners and so on all faulted provisions of the bill, either as too soft or too harsh to smoking in the public.

Yishawu, a lawmaker representing Eti-Osa II constituency, however said the critical aspect of the bill was to protect the non-smokers from second and third degree smoke.

His words: "My argument is that it is wrong for anybody to smoke in an enclosure because of its aftermath effects on the non-smokers' health. For instance, if you are a boss and you smoke in your office, the people who work with you will have no choice than to comply with what you are doing. But they would be seriously affected and that is wrong.

"If you choose to live a lifestyle, it is your choice and you should not affect other people's lives with your own habit. As a matter of fact, you should not smoke except you see the open sky, so the smoke can easily evaporate into thin air.

"The study also has shown that if you smoke in an enclosure, your body and your clothe will absorb the smoke and when you get out of the place, anybody that comes your way will be affected by the degree of the smoke you are carrying," he said.

Yishawu emphasized that the Bill was not meant to witch-hunt or cripple other people's businesses, adding that it was necessary to strike a balance between the importance of good health and doing a habit that is injurious to other people's health.

"My intention of the Bill is not to cripple other people's businesses but we need to strike a balance as to what we enjoy doing and our responsibility to others."

The bill also seeks to restrict smoking from people under the age of 15, even as it would become the duty of owners or operators of smoke-restricted areas to display 'No-smoking sign' and its prohibition. Failure will attract a fine of N100, 000 or six months imprisonment or both.

The bill makes it an offence to obstruct a duly authorised officer from entering and arresting when carrying out his duties under the provision of the law. Any person who smokes in the presence of a child is guilty of an offence and liable to N15, 000 fine or one month jail term or both. Enditem