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admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Lagos State Govt Refiles Suit Against Tobacco Companies

Nigeria Today
3/17/08

Lagos State Government has refilled its legal action against some tobacco firms. The state government had on February 21 withdrawn an earlier suit in which it was a co-plaintiff with a non-governmental organisation, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria (ERA/FoEN). The tobacco firms are British American Tobacco (Nigeria) Limited, International Tobacco Limited, British American Tobacco Plc, British American Tobacco (Investment) Limited, Philip Morris International, and the Tobacco Institute.

In the earlier suit, the state government is seeking judicial pronouncements that would regulate tobacco smoking, especially among the youths. Lagos State Government is also seeking special, general, punitive and anticipatory damages of N2.7tn from the defendants. But the state government had on March 13, filed a new suit at the High Court of Lagos, Lagos Judicial Division, in which it is the only plaintiff while the defendants remain the same

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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Govt Vows Tighter Tobacco Controls

A $44 billion lawsuit brought by the federal government against three tobacco companies has resumed at the Abuja federal court. The federal government is seeking damages for what is says were public health costs for treating smoking-related diseases. As the court case got back underway, prosecutors told the court they were yet to serve legal papers on one of the defendants, Switzerland-based Philip Morris International. The court subsequently granted a request by prosecutors to file notice of the case in newspapers in Switzerland before the next trial date in May.

Lead prosecutor Maryam Uwais says Nigeria plans to introduce stringent laws to protect children from exposure to cigarettes and a life of tobacco addiction. She insists tobacco companies should take responsibility for public health costs for treating smoking-related diseases. "We are hoping that children will not be sold cigarettes all over the country. When children start smoking very early, by the time they realize that is it bad for them, they are already addicted," she said. "We are trying to make the tobacco companies aware of the devastating effect of their own products. If you create a mess, you have to clean it up. But they are reluctant to clean up the mess they are creating."

The case was inspired by U.S lawsuits in the 1990s that led to multibillion-dollar settlements with the tobacco industry. The Nigerian states of Lagos, Kano and Gombe are pursuing their own lawsuits, in which they are seeking a total of $38 billion in damages. Nigeria's most populous state, Lagos, says at least two people die each day from tobacco-related diseases in the state. Lawyers representing British-American Tobacco Nigeria say the allegations were unsubstantiated and the litigation cannot be sustained. Critics accuse the Nigerian government of seeking monetary compensation from the same companies that have been given tax breaks to expand their operations in the country.
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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

About Time Nigeria

I remember writing an article about 5 or so years ago about the government condoning Tobacco companies such at BAT [British American Tobacco] at a time when they were being sued by their own countries.

I even remember BAT being given an award, and I sadly wondered why the Nigerian government was embracing them, after they had chosen to migrate to Africa to spread tobacco use and most importantly for profit reasons, so they could recover from the losses of income they were suffering in America and England due to being sued for the devastating effects of smoking in their own home countries.

Now the Nigerian government has finally opened its eyes and is taking a stand. It would have been better never to give the devil a chance to enter in the first place, but since it has, it's good to hear they're taking steps to drive him out, considering how many people are addicted, and those that are suffering, dying or already dead from smoking related diseases.

I remember also writing a couple of times about what a toll it would take on the government having to deal with the health related costs of treating smoking-related diseases considering Nigeria did not have the same health resources as the developed nations. Now they seem to have realized this and want the tobacco companies to take responsibility. I say about time. On behalf of relatives, friends and fellow-citizens who have or are suffering from the devastating effects of smoking and its addiction, I say about time.

Cxsm
18th March '08

© Cxsm 2008 All Rights Reserved

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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm