NIGERIA MOVIE CENSORS BOARD TO BAN SMOKING IN NOLLYWOOD

The National Film Video & Censors Board (NFVCB) has announced new plans to pass a non-smoking law in Nollywood movies.

The organization’s executive director, Adedayo Thomas made this known during an entertainment industry stakeholder’s roundtable where he stated that the board’s latest move follows increased concerns about growing evidence linking the entertainment industry with the increasing use of tobacco and its impact on public health.

He said, “Stakeholders observed that smoking in movies and the entertainment sector is a pathway to young people embracing smoking, the tobacco industry uses a sophisticated marketing mix to promote smoking on set and in the entertainment sector”

He continued, “Entertainment stakeholders are deliberately targeted by the tobacco industry either through financial inducement, misinformation, and other subtle approaches to further glamorize smoking in the entertainment sector.”

Adedayo Thomas further revealed that the board will toughen awareness among film stakeholders as it moves to enforce the non-classification of Nollywood movies depicting the use of tobacco.