Fiji Times Online

Fiji Time: 1:01 PM on Saturday 21 November

/ Front page / News

Tobacco unit arrests smoking students

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

THE Tobacco Control Unit has arrested six students and five public service vehicle drivers last week for smoking at the Suva Bus Stand.

Enforcement officer Asivorosi Tuiqali said the 11 offenders were charged to pay $50 each within 21 days from the day they were booked. Failing that they could face the maximum penalty of $500 fine.

"The offenders were caught smoking at the Suva Bus Stand last week.

"Six of them are secondary school students and I booked three bus drivers, a mini bus driver and a taxi driver," Mr Tuiqali said.

"Most of the people know that it is unlawful to smoke in a public place, but they just don't care to follow the law," he said.

Mr Tuiqali said they would continue to clamp down on smokers who do not follow the law.

He added that a lot of awareness and campaign should be done to highlight the bad effects of smoking and the law against smoking in public.

The Tobacco Control Unit in Suva has six enforcement officers.

Meanwhile, seven school students in uniform were booked for smoking in public non-smoking areas last month.

Tobacco Control Enforcement Unit officer-in-charge Iferemi Corerega said the students were from Nabua Secondary, Suva Grammar and Suva Sangam College.

He said the students were smoking in public transport in uniform. Mr Corerega said principals, teachers and parents should wake up and address the problem of substance abuse.

End of story

MyFijiGuide.com - places to stay and eat, things to do in Fiji

Today's Most Read Stories

  1. Pageant crown arrives next week
  2. English pub bans Fijians
  3. Coach Ella tells ‘very nice' Flying Fijians to toughen up
  4. 105 newborns test positive for syphilis
  5. Hindus discuss taboo subject
  6. Fire razes Sigatoka Sand Dunes park
  7. The city has eyes
  8. Miss South Pacific Pageant program
  9. Jolly start for champs
  10. Police squad rostered for pageant duty

ANZ Foreign Exchange Rates

ANZ currency conversion rates.

Currency Buy Rate Sell Rate
GBP3-week history 0.32030.3123
CAD3-week history 0.57070.5487
EUR3-week history 0.35910.3471
AUD3-week history 0.58510.5601
JPY3-week history 48.310045.3100
NZD3-week history 0.73590.7029
USD3-week history 0.53560.5186

from

$00.00

Top Stories this Week

  1. Ex-lover haunts Wes Monday (16 Nov)
  2. Man flees drinking party and falls Monday (16 Nov)
  3. Miss Kiribati's youngest queen Friday (20 Nov)
  4. Too green Tuesday (17 Nov)
  5. Sex, young love problems up North Thursday (19 Nov)
  6. No power Monday (16 Nov)
  7. Beci in 7s heaven Thursday (19 Nov)
  8. Gold scam Friday (20 Nov)
  9. Murder suspect in court Tuesday (17 Nov)
  10. Be serious, scholarships' not for fun: Envoy Monday (16 Nov)

Photo Galleries

Picture of the DayAthletes from Mulomulo High

Visit our galleries for the best of the week's news and sport pictures.