Tobacco businesses: Speed up work on survey, says DCO

DCO directed officials to ensure ban on underage sale of cigarettes and cigarette advertisement were being implemented

BAHAWALPUR: District Coordination Officer Dr Naeem Rauf has directed the district Health Department to speed up a survey of tobacco businesses in the city. He was speaking at a briefing of the Network for Consumer Protection on Thursday. He was earlier told by Project Coordinator Dr Hassan Mehmood to survey to monitor tobacco businesses was underway in 10 cities of the province, including Bahawalpur. The DCO directed the officials to ensure that the ban on underage sale of cigarettes and cigarette advertisement were being implemented. He said the businesses found violating these bans should be penalised. He said under the tobacco control policy, awareness campaigns should be initiated to educate people about the harmful effects of smoking. He referred to a survey and said that more than 100,000 people die every year of diseases related to smoking and 1,200 underage people pick the habit, across the world. Advocacy Officer Rubina Bhatti, District Officer (Health) Dr Saeed Asghar, EDO (Education) Mrs Naeem Mansoor and officials of the Excise and Taxation Department were also present at the occasion.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2012.