Activists seek health levy on tobacco products

SPARC underscores dangers of tobacco consumption on children’s health

ISLAMABAD:

Health activists have urged the government to take swift action to safeguard the well-being of children by promptly introducing a health levy on tobacco products.

In a statement issued by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), the activists have emphasised the critical importance of implementing a health levy in light of the alarming increase in tobacco-related health issues among children and adolescents.

This measure not only aims to reduce the use of harmful tobacco products but also provides essential funding for initiatives focused on improving child health, the statement read.

Malik Imran Ahmed, Country Head of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, underscored the serious health risks that tobacco use poses to children and adolescents. He highlighted the well-documented success of health levies on tobacco products in reducing youth smoking rates and discouraging tobacco consumption. Ahmed called on the government to take decisive steps to protect the health and rights of the youngest members of society.

Dr Ziauddin Islam, former Technical Head of the Tobacco Control Cell at the Ministry of Health, emphasised the widely recognised negative consequences of tobacco use on the overall health of the population. He stressed the urgent need to prioritise the health and well-being of children by implementing a health levy on tobacco products.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2023.