By Princewill Ekwujuru

As argument on the proposed Non-Tobacco Smoking Bill before the Lagos State House of Assembly continues to gather steam, British American Tobacco of Nigeria, BATN, and other stakeholders have said that it will lend its support to any balanced regulation that seeks to reduce the impact of smoking on public health.

They, however, warned that any proposed regulation must not force the legal and regulated businesses out of operation as this would leave the market at the mercy of smugglers and illicit traders.

The Non-Tobacco Smoking Bill seeks among other things to prohibit smoking in designated places in Lagos State, including bars, night clubs, restaurants, hotels, libraries, archives, museum, galleries and cinemas.

Other places are concert hall, theatres, public toilets, educational institutions, factories, hospitals, and public transportation vehicles.

The Lagos House has since opened public hearing on the Bill. The hearing had representatives of advocacy groups such as the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Trade Union Congress, TUC, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Disease Control Directorate of the Ministry of Heath, Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance, British American Tobacco Company of Nigeria, BATN representative, Coalition Against Tobacco, Tobacco distributors and the representative of Restaurants, Hotel, Bar and Cafe owners in attendance.

Reacting to the proposed bill, the Head of Regulatory Affairs, Mr. Sola Dosunmu, BATN, expressed the company’s support for the passage of a balanced and evidence based Bill for the industry. He further stated that it is in the interest of stakeholders to ensure the passage of a balanced, workable and evidence based Bill, adding that it would help to reduce the impact of tobacco on public health in the country.

Dosunmu said that BATN had always supported appropriate regulation for the tobacco industry in Nigeria and has cooperated and collaborated with government agencies towards ensuring that existing regulations are enforced.

He recalled that in countries where harsh legislation have been considered, statistics on smoking prevalence and consumption, as well as academic and government commissioned studies evaluating the impacts of smoke free legislation have shown that complete smoking ban had no impact on smoking prevalence and consumption, but in some cases, smoking consumption among adults has increased.

He, however, advocated for the ban on sale of cigarettes to any person under the age of 18, and higher than the age of 15.

Speaking at the public hearing, the Assistant Secretary General of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Anthony Ibafor, argued that TUC’s position is against the Bill as it would on the long run lead to unemployment if there is total ban on cigarette smoking.

Presenting their memoranda, representative of Nigerian Tobacco Control Alliance, consisting of 40 Civil Society Organisations, Nurudeen Ogbara, noted that the National Tobacco Control Bill, which was passed by the last National Assembly is presently awaiting presidential assent. He also faulted the bill as too limited in scope to aid the course of public health.