Smokers in public places in Lagos now risk 6-months jail term as the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday 20th January passed a bill for a law to regulate smoking in public places in all parts of the state. The bill has been sent the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola for ascent.
The bill prohibits anybody smoking in all public places including libraries, museum, public toilets, schools, hospital, day care centres, public transportation and restaurants among others. According to the bill, the penalties for smoking in a “no-smoking area” will be N10,000 fine or imprisonment for a term not less than one month and not exceeding three months or both.
It also stipulates that any person who repeatedly violates the provisions shall on conviction be liable to a fine of N50,000 or six month imprisonment or both, while non-compliance by owner/occupier of a ‘no-smoking area’ will attract N100,000 fine or 6 month imprisonment, or other non custodial punishments that the judge may deem fit.
