Anti-tobacco seminar: Campaign next week to make Isloo smoke-free zone

Amendments are needed in tobacco law for ban on tobacco advertising, say speakers.

ISLAMABAD:

In the second phase for making the capital a smoke-free zone, a mass awareness anti-tobacco campaign will be run on the media and teams of volunteers will educate people on the harmful effects of tobacco.

This was stated by focal person for Tobacco Control Cell Dr Arshad Chandio at an advocacy seminar on “Tobacco Deadly in Any Form or Disguise”, organised by The Network for Consumer Protection on Saturday at a local hotel.

World Health Organisation (WHO) national programme officer for tobacco, Shahzad Alam Khan, suggested increasing the price and tax on tobacco products to discourage its consumption, especially among new smokers. He recommended that the government establish an excise and taxation cell in Tobacco Control Cell to monitor tobacco tax patterns.

While quoting statistics from a 2011 WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, Khan said the prevalence of tobacco use among adults is 32.4% for men and 5.7% for women. For teens between 13 to 15 years of age, the tobacco consumption rate is 12.4% for boys and 7.5% for girls.

Khan said the government should rotate the pictorial health warning on cigarette packs. The suggestion has been pending since 2010.

MNA Tahira Aurangzeb and Senator Najma Hameed, guest speakers at the seminar, pledged to move a resolution in the National Assembly and Senate to stop the sale of tobacco in the Parliament.

Junaid Akhtar Chohan, General Secretary Islamabad High Court Bar Association, said amendments are needed in the anti-tobacco legislation 2002 to implement a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2012.