NFVCB, filmmakers and stakeholders decide to ban smoking in Nigerian films

the National Film and Video Censorship Office (NFVCB) began engaging with practitioners and stakeholders in the Nigerian film and entertainment industry to enforce the law banning smoking in movies.

Adedayo Thomas, Executive Director (ED), NFVCB, made it known on Saturday when delivering a statement following the entertainment industry stakeholder roundtable in Lagos.

The roundtable focused on the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019 in Lagos, as it relates to the film and entertainment industry in general.

Mr Thomas said the commitment is to ensure that practitioners in the film industry adhere to laws that prohibit smoking in Nigerian films, among other relevant laws of the country.

The meeting was organized by the NFVCB with technical support from Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).

The boss of the NFVCB noted that the board of directors and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture were concerned about the growing evidence linking the entertainment industry to the increase in smoking and its impact on health. public.

He said the NFVCB was prioritizing the classification of films with smoking scenes and tobacco depictions and would ensure that they were fully implemented.

Thomas said existing national legislation does not sufficiently take into account emerging alternative tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes, shisha, among others.

He advised the National Assembly, the Ministry of Health and other competent authorities to involve the actors of the film industry in their commitment in order to be on the same wavelength in the implementation of the legislation.

He said that “stakeholders have observed that smoking in films and in the entertainment industry is a pathway for young people to embrace smoking.

“The tobacco industry is using the sophisticated marketing mix to promote smoking on film sets and in the entertainment industry.

“Entertainment players are being deliberately targeted by the tobacco industry either through financial incentives, misinformation and other subtle approaches to promote the glorification of smoking in the film and entertainment industry. Awareness of the dangers of smoking in films and the entertainment industry in the digital media space is still low, ”he said.

According to him, the NFVCB would intensify its awareness and education among relevant stakeholders in the film and entertainment sectors to ensure compliance with national laws.

Enforcement

He cited the NTC Act 2015 and the NTC Regulations 2019 regarding the prohibition of tobacco advertising promotion and sponsorship.

He pledged that the NFVCB would continue to work with relevant stakeholders to put in place adequate measures to ensure that the environment remains conducive to the growth of the film industry.

The ED noted that the NFVCB would maintain its engagement and consultation with relevant stakeholders in the film and entertainment industry to ensure that film ratings are appropriate and up to date.

The boss of the NFVCB asked that the board of directors and cinema practitioners be represented in the operationalization of the Tobacco Control Fund.

He said this would provide operators in the film and entertainment industry with opportunities to play a crucial role in creating awareness and awareness of smoking in movies.

The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) reports that the meeting brought together regulators, tobacco control public health experts, film producers, screenwriters, distributors and exhibitors.

Veterans as well as young actors and actresses were also gift to reflect on the prevalence of smoking scenes in movies.

(NOPE)