Some public health managers on Thursday urged the Federal Government to outlaw smoking in the public to discourage others from imbibing the bad habit, especially the youths.
The health managers, who made the call as guests at an Air Pollution Control forum organised by Oriade Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State, said that smoke induced illnesses.
Dr Samunel Akingbehin, the National President, Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN) said that an embargo on smoking in the public would discourage many from smoking.
“Young people copy what they see the older generation do and begin to internalise such as a norm whether morally permissible or not.
“The way and manner the smokers are glamorising it in public places in Nigeria should be of concern to government, religious bodies and schools as character moulders,’’ he said.
Akingbehin expressed displeasure over the high rate of youths taking to smoking these days, adding that with its public advertisement by addicts, young minds perceive it as a tradition rather than a deviant behaviour.
Mrs Geraldine Amadi, the Health Right Crusader and other resource persons said that public smoking such as noise pollution affects all and sundry.
Amadi, who reacted to a research finding that seven youths take to smoking every hour in Nigeria, asserted that apart from health challenges linked to smoking, the nation’s health system “is being under pressure’’.
Amadi called on religious bodies and
others to press it on the state actors to see reason to prohibit smoking in the
public to make the environment smoke free and advance public health.
Mrs Rukayat Biodun, an LCDA Health Officer said
that the council has classified smokers as polluters of the environment and was
also taking measures to check pollution from articulated vehicles in the
area.(NAN)
