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Last Updated: Friday, December 17th, 2004 HOME | Previous Page Our policy makers: When will they be decisive?   The marketing and advertising of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, no doubt will for a long time remain a controversial issue but at what time will policy makers in our country Nigeria, be decisive? In 1990, Nigeria joined 14 other countries that had banned smoking in public places, with  the promulgation of the Tobacco Smoking (Control) Act 20 of 1990. Though most of the provisions therein are largely ignored now. On August 8, 2001 ‘Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria’ (APCON) made a pronouncement that advertising or promotion of tobacco products on television, home videos and out-doors are prohibited from January 1, 2002. Advertising and promotion of tobacco products in print was henceforth restricted to inside pages of newspapers nd magazines. The pronouncement further says, “No tobacco advertising shall be carried in publications targeted at Children”. The order stated that all tobacco packs/advertisement must carry a health warning. In 2003, the Olu Falomo led APCON wanted to enforce the pronouncement but this led to a suit filed by the ‘Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria’ (OAAN), a sectoral body on the council, which lasted for 18 months. Thank God, Justice Rose Ukeje struck out the case on amicable out of court settlement reached by both parties. The agreement was that the current outdoor advertisement will be allowed to run till December 31, 2004, that with effect from January 1, 2005 no tobacco advertisement will be allowed to advertise  ‘out of doors’.  It is just a few days to the deadline, but is the date realistic? At all levels and times, in all places for all people, holistic efforts to control tobacco-related activities must be intensified. This typical on-off decision by various policy makers in this country of ours reveals a high level of lack of integrity. I submit that come January 1, 2005 the proposed ban should be allowed to take effect.   •Adesokan Oluwatoyin, P. O. Box 2971, Lagos. Copyright� 2004. All Rights Reserved. Independent Newspapers Limited Block5, Plot 7D, Wempco Road, Ogba, P.M.B. 21777, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. www.independentng.com e-mail: [email protected] Designed By Powered By DNet.

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