Govt urged to ban Velo – a nicotine ‘alternate’

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) has urged the government to ban Velo, a nicotine alternate, far more dangerous than cigarettes, and is believed to have been launched to target the youth of the country in particular.

The PANAH has been providing awareness regarding heart diseases to the public for the last 38 years and is working together with health experts, legislators, civil society, politicians, media representatives, and others to spread awareness on heart diseases and many other associated fatal conditions.

In a recent statement, it said that the “Consumption of Velo has increased among the younger generation. Young people are being misled in the name of consuming Velo in order to quit smoking and re-energise their brains. This however is unhealthy as these packets of nicotine are much more hazardous than cigarettes themselves.”

Health experts claim that Velo is an addictive substance and once absorbed into the blood, it increases blood pressure, and heart rate which in turn can result in heart diseases, stroke, and even oral cancer.

A survey was conducted on the use of Velo by PANAH that found out that Velo was being spread in cities in a systematic way.

Especially in the name of freeing the youth from smoking, it is being provided free of charge. However, one cannot quit smoking by choosing this as an alternative, instead, it is leading to various health ailments.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 7^th, 2022.