Mr. Dayo Bush-Alebiosu
The lawmaker representing Kosofe Federal Constituency, Lagos, in the House of Representatives, Dayo Bush-Alebiosu, says the signing of the Tobacco Bill into law is good for the country.
Bush-Alebiosu, who sponsored the bill in the House of Representatives, said the law would ensure a balance between economic consideration and the health implications of tobacco manufacture, use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, among others.
The lawmaker spoke in Lagos on Monday, adding that since Nigeria on Sunday joined the rest of the world to mark the ‘World No Tobacco Day’, the nation’s leaders must ensure that the dictates of the law, such as effective regulation and control of production, manufacture, sale, labelling, advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco and tobacco products, were implemented fully.
He said the bill was sponsored in the House by him and at the Senate by Dr. Patrick Okowa, who is now the Delta State Governor.
Bush-Alebiosu, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Treaties and Agreements, said, “With the law, we can be sure that the rate of smoking will drop and the health sector will spend money allocated to them on building the sector instead of using it for treatment of patients with tobacco-related cases.
“The law also bans sales of cigarettes to the underage that are the target of the tobacco industries. Many children in Nigeria are affected by tobacco smokes and are dying of pneumonia and respiratory childhood infections.”
He said the Federal Government had fulfilled part of its obligations to protect its citizens from tobacco-related deaths by the law.
He said, “I noticed that most kids who smoke do so because their parents smoke and they begin at early ages. That is one of the things this bill will do; parents can’t smoke around their children. Those who send under-aged children to purchase cigarettes and those who sell to them are liable.”
Bush-Alebiousu commended other legislators for helping in the realisation of the bill into law.
Punch
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