ThisDay Newspapers
Godwin Haruna

The addictive substance, tobacco, impoverishes a number of people across all borders and this negative impact, has drawn the ire of tobacco control activists and the Lagos State government. Health statistics obtained from the World Health Organisation (WHO) says tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world. It is currently responsible for the death of one in ten adults worldwide (about 5 million deaths each year). Experts contend that if current smoking patterns continue, it will cause some 10 million deaths each year by 2025. Half the people that smoke today -that is about 650 million people- will eventually be killed by tobacco. It is also the fourth most common risk factor for disease worldwide.

PRESS ADVISORY

The suit filed by the Attorney General of Lagos State against British American Tobacco (Nigeria) Limited and five others came up for the first time on Friday (May 4) before Justice Ipaye sitting at the Lagos State High Court (Commercial Division), TBS Annexe. Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, led seven other lawyers; a combination of the State's legal representatives and lawyers with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice including Lawal Pedro, the Director of Civil Litigation in the Ministry of Justice, Lagos State.

Vanguard Newspapers

LAGOS—The Lagos State Government and  Environmental Rights Action (ERA) have filed an action at the Lagos State High Court against several big tobacco companies seeking extensive reliefs that intend to regulate tobacco smoking especially as it affects youth and under-aged smokers.

The claimants also sought  special, general, punitive and anticipatory damages in the sum of $21,617,605, 885.17 (N2,702,200,735,647.17) from the Defendants.