The Lagos State House of Assembly
has passed a bill for a law to ban smoking in public places in the state.
The bill scaled through the third
reading at plenary today, Monday before it was passed prohibits anybody
smoking in all public places such as libraries, museum, public toilets,
schools, hospital, day care centres, public transportation and
restaurants among others.
The bill consists of 16
sections and section 12 states that a “No – Smoking” sign with a pictorial
representation of a burning cigarette enclosed in a circle with a bar across
shall be prominently posted and properly maintained where smoking is
regulated by the law by the owner, occupier or person in- charge of a “No –
Smoking Area”.
Section 4: Duty of owner/occupier,
says that it shall be the duty of those who owns or occupies public
places to ensure that approved “No – Smoking” signs are displayed conspicuously
at each entrance and in prominent locations throughout the premises.
Penalties for smoking in a “No-Smoking area” will be
N10,000:00 fine or imprisonment for a term not less than one
month and not exceeding 3 months or both. While any person who
repeatedly violates the provisions shall on conviction be liable to a fine of
N50,000:00 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 N100,000:00 or 6 month imprisonment, or other non custodial
punishment that the judge may deem fit.
“It shall be an offence to obstruct
a duly authorized officer from carrying out his duties under the provision of
this law”.
The law further 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 N15,000:00 or imprisonment for a month or
both.
The bill when signed into law
by the state governor also provides for the regulation of smoking
in public places.
No comments:
Post a Comment