The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) says it will not hesitate to confiscate cigarettes sold in sticks at the expiration of the moratorium given in the Tobacco Control Law.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Babatunde Irukera, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, that the commission had started little enforcement in preparation for the date.

NAN reports that the tobacco law of 2019 contains many provisions including smoke free places, tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, packaging and labelling, prevention of tobacco industry interference and product disclosure.

The law prohibits the sale of tobacco products via the internet, single cigarettes and small packets of cigarettes, sale via vending machines and sale to persons under the age of 18.

“The National Tobacco Control Act of 2015 created the National Control Regulations of 2019 and the regulation has a moratorium before enforcement starts. One of the key enforcement areas is packaging that will make it more difficult to sell by the sticks, Mr. Irukera gave.

“We are working to make sure that we can prohibit sales by the sticks quickly and doing some small enforcement like we have done.”