Assembly moves to out-law public smoking
By Alice Micah
A bill seeking prohibition and control of smoking in public places in Rivers State is before the state House of Assembly.
The bill, which seeks to prohibit smoking of all forms of tobacco, including manufactured and unmanufactured, of every description which is processed and used for smoking in pipes, cigars and cigarettes in Rivers State, is sponsored by the House Leader, Hon. Chidi Lloyd.
Introducing the bill on the floor of the House last Tuesday, the House Leader said the bill which has six parts seeks to prohibit the act of smoking in public places.
Part one has to do with control of tobacco smoking in public places requesting that “No person shall, as from the commencement of this law, smoke tobacco in places specified in the schedule to this law”
Part 2 shall empower the Ministry of Environment to designate places for smoking and vice versa.
Part 3, has to do with exposure of staff and customers in public places to tobacco smoke, while part 4 contains offences for people who sell tobacco products in motor parks, offices, bus stands and other specified places. Part 5 has to do with interpretation of tobacco, which include manufactured and unmanufactured.
If the bill is eventually passed into law, smokers shall no longer have the freedom to consume the product in public places in the state.
Hon. Lloyd prayed for members to give the bill the desired attention and eventual passage.
Commenting, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry said there was an act of parliament for the bill and asked members to give it the attention it deserves.
