Arrest defaulters of Shisha ban, Adewole tells police

Isaac Adewole, the minister of health, says the police should arrest defaulters of the ban on tobacco products including Shisha.

Speaking on Monday in Abuja at a press conference to mark the 2018 World No-Tobacco Day, Adewole said the ban placed on tobacco products is still in place.

May 31 is celebrated as No-Tobacco Day across the world to discourage the use of tobacco products.

“Let me stress that the ban on tobacco products with characterising flavours is still in place and the ban includes shisha because it has flavour,” he said.

“I, therefore, urge the Consumer Protection Council and the law enforcement agencies to intensify arrest of defaulters.”

According to the British Heart Foundation, Shisha smoking is a way of smoking tobacco, sometimes mixed with fruit or molasses sugar, through a bowl and hose or tube.

Babatunde Irukera, director general of the CPC, said Standards Organisation of Nigeria has set up a technical committee to look into the issue of Shisha and make recommendations to tackle the matter.

“Recently, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria which is responsible for creating the national industrial standard, convened a technical committee meeting with respect to the tobacco standard and the subject of shisha was discussed like any other tobacco product,” Irukera said.

“And the new industry standards are undergoing the process now so it is not an illegal product now but soon the SON will come up with what the final standard will be.”

In 2017, the federal ministry of health said Olamide Adedeji, Afropop artiste, violated the 2015 tobacco act for promoting the use of tobacco.