New law bans betel nut, smoke in public places

CHEWING of betel nut and smoking cigarette in public places is now prohibited under the new Summary Offences Act passed by Parliament on Sept 12 this year.
The amended Summary Offences Act prohibits:

• Selling, buying and chewing of betel nut;
• Smoking in public places including sale; and
• Use of spray paint in the country with a penalty not exceeding K10,000 or three years imprisonment.

The law is now effective after it was gazetted on Oct 22.
The ban on the use of spray paint also includes pens or any form of ink, paint and brush to deface or write on anything in public places.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said these had become a cause of concern for many communities and citizens throughout the country.
Prohibition of Smoking of Tobacco Product Bill was done before in 2016 under the Tobacco Control Act.
The main provisions of this act were to declare certain areas smoke-free environments and to also regulate cigarette packaging to make them unattractive to prevent the sale of tobacco products to children.
O’Neill told Parliament that rights of non-smokers must be respected.
He said that was why it was important that in public places, selling and smoking of cigarettes must be monitored.
O’Neill said people could smoke in the privacy of their homes or in declared areas where there were smoking zones or designated places.
He said the selling and buying of betel nuts were becoming a real concern for towns and communities throughout the country.
The World Health Organisation reports that PNG has among the highest rates of oral cancer in the world, which was attributed mainly to the chewing of betel nut.
O’Neill said that in Port Moresby, National Capital District Commission imposed a total betel nut ban in 2013, and lifted it in 2017.
During that period, pavement and streets of Port Moresby showed a remarkable change in terms of littering and stain associated with betel nut chewing.