CISLAC Floats Awareness Campaign Against Tobacco Products
3 min read
Edith CHUKU
A one-day training program has been organized under the auspices of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, with support from the African Capacity Building Foundation, ACBF, to enlighten the public on the danger of tobacco products to the health.
According to CISLAC, the awareness which was held in Owerri, the Imo State capital is part of measures aimed at advocating the provisions of ‘The National Tobacco Control Act 2015.’
The program which had in attendance, government agencies, members of the Civil Society organizations and the media focused on the health consequences of tobacco use, understanding FCTC Article 6 and Nigeria Tobacco Tax Policy, Tobacco industry interference with tobacco taxation and monitoring tobacco industry interference.
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Speaking during the event, Pastor Nwokocha Anozie Innocent, the Executive Director of Initiative for Ideal Development and Emancipatory Leadership in Nigeria, IDEAL-NIGERIA, described Tobacco products as dangerously poisonous.
While facilitating the section on health consequences of tobacco use, with particular reference to Global Adult Tobacco Survey, GATS, conducted in the year 2017 in Ukraine, he said the true face of tobacco is disease, death and horror.
Anozie outline some of the provisions of the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 to include:
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“• Section 9:
Smoking in a residential house co-occupied by a person under the age of 18 is prohibited.
Smoking in any means of public transportation is prohibited.
Smoking in any indoor or outdoor public places such as offices, schools, markets, bars, restaurants, gardens, hotels is prohibited
A fine of not less than #200,000 or imprisonment for not less than 1 year or both.
“• Section 10:
Owners and operators of public places such as bars, gardens, restaurants and hotels must display the NO SMOKING signage at the prominent areas of the facility.
All tobacco product packages must be labeled with health warnings and messages by the federal ministry of health covering 50% of the package.
A fine of not less than #100,000 or a term of imprisonment of not less than 2 years or both.
“• Section 12:
No person shall promote or advertise tobacco products in any form.
A fine of #500,000 or imprisonment for not less than 2 years for the Chief Executive of the company in promotion and advertisement of tobacco products.
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“• Section 15:
Tobacco products shall not be sold to or by persons under the age of 18.
Tobacco products retailers shall display at places of sales signage stating that tobacco is prohibited for persons under the age of 18.
A person shall not sell or offer to sell or distribute tobacco or tobacco products through mail, internet or other online devices.
Sales of cigarettes in single sticks is prohibited. Cigarettes can only be sold in packs containing minimum of 20 sticks.
A fine of not less than #100,000 or a term of imprisonment of not less than 2 years or both.
A fine of not less than #200,000 or imprisonment for not less than 1 year or both in the case of an individual.
A fine of not less than#400,000 in the case of corporate entity.
“• Section 17:
A person shall not manufacture, distribute or sell tobacco or tobacco product that does not conform to approved standard or quantity prescribed.
Any tobacco product that does not conform to approved standard or prescribed quantity shall be confiscated and destroyed by the relevant law enforcement agencies.
In the case of an individual, a fine of not less than#200,000 or term of imprisonment of not less than 1 year or both.
In the case of corporate entity, a fine of not less than #400,000.”
He added that, “monitoring tobacco industry interference remain a major serious dilemma in our society at large which with concerted efforts of stakeholders can be arrested.”
