Bill Proposing Health Warnings In Alcohol Adverts Passes 2nd Reading

A Bill for an Act to make it mandatory for health
warning on Advertisements of Alcoholic products in Nigeria and
other related matters on Thursday passed second reading in the
House of Representatives.

This followed a bill sponsored by Rep. Danasabe Hosea
(Taraba-PDP).

Leading the debate on the motion, Hosea expressed concern that
alcoholic drinks in Nigeria had no advertisement and health
warnings similar to those for tobacco and other products which
posed dangers to health.

According to him, the objective of the bill is to restrict
effects of alcohol consumption with public health messages
presented as advertisement about the negative consequences of
alcohol use.

“No person or organisation shall print or publish an alcohol
advertisement in a printed publication to which this applies unless
the advertisement bears the health warning as set out in the
schedules.

“This section applies to any electronic or print media in
Nigeria and any periodical, magazine or other publication printed
or published in Nigeria.

“Section 2 of the bill highlights the health warning when
alcohol advertisement is displayed.

“No person shall display or publish or distribute for the
purpose of display, an alcohol advertisement in writing or other
permanent form or semi-permanent form unless the advertisement
bears health warning as set out in the schedule.

“Such money charged for any purpose or otherwise but 5 per cent
of the money charged to vest under the control and management of
primary healthcare.

“Section 3 of the Bill defines the meaning of alcohol
advertisement.

“For the purpose of this act an advertisement is an alcohol if
it; contains any express or implied inducement, suggestion or
request to purchase alcohol; relates to he consumption of alcohol
in terms which are calculated expressly or implied with to promote
or encourage the use of alcohol.”

He said that section of the bill stipulated the offence and
penalty, punishment on conviction is a fine of 100,000 and in the
case of continuing offence a further fine of N100,000 for every day
during which the offence continued.

A point of order was raised by Rep. Ossai Ossai (Delta-PDP),
noting there was an agency already in existence for that
purpose

But Rep. Aliyu Pategi(Kwara-APC) and others supported the mover
of the bill.

According the lawmakers the bill seeks to put warnings by
producers as well as meet international best practices.

A Bill for an Act to make it mandatory for health
warning on Advertisements of Alcoholic products in Nigeria and
other related matters on Thursday passed second reading in the
House of Representatives.

This followed a bill sponsored by Rep. Danasabe Hosea
(Taraba-PDP).

Leading the debate on the motion, Hosea expressed concern that
alcoholic drinks in Nigeria had no advertisement and health
warnings similar to those for tobacco and other products which
posed dangers to health.

According to him, the objective of the bill is to restrict
effects of alcohol consumption with public health messages
presented as advertisement about the negative consequences of
alcohol use.

“No person or organisation shall print or publish an alcohol
advertisement in a printed publication to which this applies unless
the advertisement bears the health warning as set out in the
schedules.

“This section applies to any electronic or print media in
Nigeria and any periodical, magazine or other publication printed
or published in Nigeria.

“Section 2 of the bill highlights the health warning when
alcohol advertisement is displayed.

“No person shall display or publish or distribute for the
purpose of display, an alcohol advertisement in writing or other
permanent form or semi-permanent form unless the advertisement
bears health warning as set out in the schedule.

“Such money charged for any purpose or otherwise but 5 per cent
of the money charged to vest under the control and management of
primary healthcare.

“Section 3 of the Bill defines the meaning of alcohol
advertisement.

“For the purpose of this act an advertisement is an alcohol if
it; contains any express or implied inducement, suggestion or
request to purchase alcohol; relates to he consumption of alcohol
in terms which are calculated expressly or implied with to promote
or encourage the use of alcohol.”

He said that section of the bill stipulated the offence and
penalty, punishment on conviction is a fine of 100,000 and in the
case of continuing offence a further fine of N100,000 for every day
during which the offence continued.

A point of order was raised by Rep. Ossai Ossai (Delta-PDP),
noting there was an agency already in existence for that
purpose

But Rep. Aliyu Pategi(Kwara-APC) and others supported the mover
of the bill.

According the lawmakers the bill seeks to put warnings by
producers as well as meet international best practices.