The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved
the draft of the National Tobacco Control Bill 2004 that would be sent to the
National Assembly as an Executive Bill for promulgation into law.
The bill recommends a minimum of six months
imprisonment or N50,000 or both for individuals that smoke outside public
places designated as smoking areas.
The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku,
and the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, disclosed this to State
House correspondents at the end of the meeting presided over by President
Goodluck Jonathan.
Chukwu said the penalties for corporate offenders
varied from N1m to N5m and one year to two years imprisonment for the chief
executives of such firms.
The minister added that all forms of
advertisements of tobacco were totally banned under the proposed law.
