Nigeria: Senate Passes Anti-Tobacco Bill, Spells Six Months' Jail for Culprits

13 May 2015

Abuja — The Senate Tuesday passed the Tobacco Control Bill 2015 with the provision of six months imprisonment for anyone caught smoking in public places. The passage followed the adoption of the report of Senate Committee on Health presented by Senator Chris Ngige on behalf of the committee chairman, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.

The committee, however, said it found that "if tobacco regulation becomes excessively restrictive and legitimate producers close shops, smokers would continue to smoke. Demand would then be met via smuggled cigarette thereby transferring jobs and revenue to other countries."

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