Govt urged to enhance tax on tobacco products

ISLAMABAD:

The country’s youth is vulnerable to initiating cigarette smoking, therefore, the government needs to enhance the tax on tobacco products to control this epidemic. This the was crux of the views expressed at a symposium organised by the Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) the other day. PANAH General Secretary and Director Operations Sana Ullah Ghumman said that a research study released by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) revealed that in Pakistan, there are 22 million tobacco users, wherein 60 percent are adolescents.

Around 1.5 million cases of oral cancer are reported by Pakistan Medical Association on a yearly basis. Health Services Academy Vice Chancellor Shehzad Ali Khan said that tobacco use has spread like an epidemic in the country and if it is not controlled in time, its harmful effects will lead to more deadly diseases. SPARC Project Manager Khalil Ahmad said that the campaign claims that the majority of the market share of tobacco is of illicit trade without citing any independent study or data. By exaggerating the illicit share, tobacco industry prevents government from increasing any taxes on tobacco.

Coordinator monitoring PTI ladies wing Islamabad Roohi Hashmi said that the tobacco industry has been leading a mega campaign in the media and social media featuring prominent celebrities to spread misinformation in order to deter the government from imposing higher taxes on tobacco.