But for other guests
who stepped in to broker peace, a heated argument between two groups of
youth at a bar in a Lagos suburb was on the verge of degenerating into a
brawl.
“The smokes from
their cigarettes were coming in our direction and we told them politely
that since we came here before them, they should change their seating
position,” said one of the youth who identified himself as Fred.
“Instead, one of them replied that we should be happy to be inhaling their smokes. And that was an insult,” he added.
Cigarette smoking
has remained a common sight in most public places in the country, but
with the passage of the National Tobacco Control Bill, it is expected
that the practice would be kept in check, analysts say.
The Senate had on
March 15, 2011, in a unanimous vote passed the Bill, which was sponsored
by Olorunnimbe Mamora, a senator representing Lagos East senatorial
district.
The bill, which had
been in the legislative chamber for more than two years, domesticates
the World Health Organisation-initiated Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control, a global standard for tobacco control. Nigeria has signed and
ratified the treaty.
The major highlights
include: ban on single sticks sale of cigarettes; ban on tobacco
advertisement; sponsorship and promotions; ban on selling cigarettes to
persons under the age of 18; ban on smoking of tobacco products in
public places, which includes airports and public buildings; and ban on
selling single stick cigarettes, among others.
“Basically, the bill
will bring to the awareness of Nigerians the issue of tobacco relating
to its deadliness,” said Emmanuel Odiase, an anti-tobacco activist.
“It will interest
you to know that a lot of Nigerian smokers don’t even know the real
dangers of tobacco use. More surprisingly, non-smokers don’t know that
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) harms them as much as mainstream smoke
harms the smoker,” said Mr Odiase, the founder of SmokeFreeNigeria
Initiative, a non-governmental organisation that focuses on
tobacco-related health issues.
The National Tobacco
Control Bill repeals the Tobacco Control Smoking Act of 1990, which was
promulgated under the military and championed by former health
minister, late Olikoye Ransome-Kuti. The current bill is a comprehensive
law providing for regulations of supply and demand measures of tobacco
products.
The bill was
presented on the floor of the Senate for second reading on February 2009
and a public hearing was conducted in July 2009 before its eventual
passage into law.
Compliant public
A survey of some
public places in Lagos revealed that while most joints in areas like
Victoria Island and Ikeja have already enforced a no-smoking policy in
their bars even before the passage of the tobacco control bill, the ones
in the suburbs seem to pay little or no attention to it.
“We had already
started implementing a no-smoking rule even before we heard about the
tobacco control bill,” said Ben Ops, the manager of Kingsize, a popular
bar in Ikeja, Lagos.
“We don’t allow
anyone to smoke inside the restaurant or at the bar. We usually tell
them to go outside if they want to smoke, or they can go to the sports
lounge,” said Mr Ops.
Mayowa Ibrahim, a
supervisor at Jade Place, Victoria Island, said that customers have been
very co-operative towards their no-smoking policy.
“If you go to the
restaurant, for instance, you will not see anyone smoking because people
bring their children here as well,” Mr Ibrahim said.
Analysts, however,
have expressed worries over the enforcement and implementation of the
law. According to the Act, any person who smokes tobacco contrary to the
provisions of the Act shall be guilty of offence and shall be liable on
conviction to a fine of not less than N200 and not exceeding N1,000 or
to imprisonment to a term of not less than one month and not exceeding
two years or to both such fine and imprisonment.
“I understand that
in Nigeria, a lot of laws have been passed and in the space of days or
weeks, nothing is heard about these laws, mainly owing to poor
implementation and enforcement,” said Mr Odiase.
“Now, you may say
that law enforcers like the police even sometimes smoke in the streets.
Let me tell you now: it is not business as usual. Even the police man
who violates the law will be punished. Above all, there will be a
special intelligent task force to oversee the whole process. They will
definitely not be in uniform, so watch out,” he further said.
Almost six million
people die from tobacco use each year, both from direct tobacco use and
indirect inhalation of smoke, according to the World Health
Organisation.
By 2020, this number will increase to 7.5 million, accounting for 10 per cent of all deaths.
“It should be
properly understood that the (tobacco control) bill is not to hunt
anyone or frustrate businesses from operation,” said Mr Odiase.
“It is for our own
good. In the long run, we all will realise the good we did to ourselves
for accepting the law and abiding by it,” he added.
