By Chioma Obinna

The Lagos State Government has given thumbs up to the concurrent passage of the National Tobacco Control Bill and set up a multi – a sectoral committee to protect non-smokers from exposure to passive smoking in the State.

Giving the credit in Lagos with a call to the apex government to ensure the anti-tobacco law is operational throughout the Federation, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Femi Olugbile, however urged President Goodluck Jonathan to assent to the Bill and ensure the law is enforced to save millions from the dangers of active and passive smoking.

Olugbile, who spoke at a press conference to mark the 2011 World No Tobacco Day in Lagos, observed the absence of definite data for tobacco-related deaths in the country, but argued that evidence fromgeneral observation of health workers in government hospitals, showed that a significant number of patients diagnosed with respiratory diseases, had tobacco related problems.

In his words, Lagos State had developed comprehensive multi-sectoral measures and responses to reduce consumption of tobacco and to discourage uptake of all tobacco products to implement the campaign .

Areas of intervention, he said, will include; creating awareness about tobacco and its effect, discouraging the uptake and use of tobacco among adolescents and early adults, disseminating the effects of tobacco on pregnancy and the health of mothers, protecting the non smokers and advocating for an enabling environment conducive to change.

Tips he gave for stoppage of tobacco smoking include; “Set a quit date, make a list of reasons why you want to quit, decide whether you want to stop suddenly or gradually, identify triggers that make you want to smoke, have a plan for the quit day among others.

The National Tobacco Control Bill makes it mandatory to affix health warnings on tobacco product packaging, bans the sale of cigarettes to minors, (under 18 years), strictly regulate tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion, prohibiting smoking in public places, including schools, airports and public buildings and introduce regulation on the manufacturing, distribution and marketing of tobacco products in Nigeria.