OYO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY :PASSES BILL BANNING SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES

Those who smoke in public places in Oyo state stand at risk of spending three months in jail or be slapped a fine of between N15,000 and N50,000. This follows the approval of a bill, banning public smoking by the Oyo state House of Assembly. The “Bill to Regulate Smoking in Public Places and for Connected Purposes’’ was sponsored by Segun Ajanaku and Segun Olaleye, representing Ibadan South-West II and Ibadan North II constituencies, respectively. Approving the passage of the bill, the Chairman of the assembly’s Committee on Health, Silas Okunola, on Thursday, June 2, said that the bill was necessary for regulating smoking in designated places, include shopping centres, restaurants, public toilets and cinemas.
Other areas covered by the proposed law are hospitals, creches, schools and public transportation vehicles within the state. The bill specifically stipulates fine of N15, 000 or three month imprisonment or both for first time offenders while any person guilty of repeated act would be liable to a N50, 000 fine or six months imprisonment or both, Vanguard reports. It was also stated that any person found guilty of smoking in the presence of a child in a manner that exposes smoke to be injurious to the child, would be liable to a month imprisonment with an option of N15, 000 or both. The bill further states that any person who repeatedly violates the provision of not smoking in the presence of a child will be liable to one year imprisonment with an option of not less than N100, 000 or both. According to the terms of the bill, it compulsory for any person involved with the management of a public place to put a ‘No-Smoking’ sign in conspicuous areas. It states that refusal to place the sign or symbol by a corporate body, director, manager, company secretary or any person concerned in the management of the corporate body will be liable to N250, 000 fine upon conviction. According to the provisions of the bill, any person found guilty of not putting up a ‘No-Smoking’ sign would be liable to six months imprisonment or N100,000 or other non-custodial punishment that the court may deem  fit.
SOURCE:DAILY POST,NAIJ.COM