By Mariama Njie
The Gambia Lawmakers have voted to make skin bleaching a punishable offence, after twenty-three [23] MPs voted in support of criminalising the act while ten [10] MPs voted against it.
Legislators have been debating the skin bleaching Prohibition Act before the yesterday vote.
On Monday majority of the national assembly members voted the law be maintained in the status book to prohibit the use and import of the cream, which now means any person who administers or applies on his or her body any cream or substance, that bleaches his or her skin, commits an offence and is liable on conviction.
“A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of twenty thousand dalasis. A person shall not sell or import into The Gambia any of the creams or substances listed in the Second Schedule unless he or she obtains a permit to do so from the Medicines Board. A person who contravenes subsection (I) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of twenty thousand dalasis.
“A person who purchases or has in his or her possession any of the creams or substances listed in the First Schedule commits an offence and liable to conviction to a fine of five thousand dalasis. A person who without a valid prescription purchases or has in his or her possession any of the creams or substances listed in the Second Schedule commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of five thousand dalasis is fine of five thousand dalasis,” the Act said.