The Lagos State House of Assembly has passed a bill for a law to ban smoking in public places. The bill was passed on Monday by the House, after it passed the third reading on the floor and was sent to the state governor, Babatunde Fashola for his ascent.
If the bill is finally signed into law by the governor, it will become an offence to smoke in public places in the state. These include libraries, museum, public toilets, schools, hospital, day care centres, public transportation and restaurants among others.
The bill stipulates fines ranging from N10,000 to N50,000 or six months imprisonment or both.
According to a statement by the Assembly on Monday, the bill consists of 16 sections, which explained the regulation of smoking in public places.
It read in parts, “In section 12, posting of signs with ‘No Smoking’ symbol, depicts a pictorial representation of a burning cigarette enclosed in a circle with a bar across. It shall be prominently posted and properly maintained where smoking is regulated by the law, by the owner, occupier or person in charge of a ‘No – Smoking Area.’
“Section 4: Duty of owner/occupier, says that it shall be the duty of those who own or occupies public places to ensure that approved ‘No – Smoking’ signs are displayed conspicuously at each entrance and in prominent locations throughout the premises.
“Penalties for smoking in a ‘No-Smoking area’ will be a N10,000 fine or imprisonment for a term not less than one month and not exceeding three months or both.
“Any person who repeatedly violates the provisions shall on conviction be liable to a fine of N50, 000 or six month imprisonment or both.
“It shall be an offence to obstruct a duly authorised officer from carrying out his duties under the provision of this law,” the statement said.
The statement also added that any person who smokes in the presence of a child commits an offence and would be liable, on conviction, to a fine of N15,000 or imprisonment for a month or both.
