Tobacco control: New guidelines to restrict promotion issued

Not a single federal govt official assigned to implement anti-smoking laws.

ISLAMABAD:

After a two and a half year delay the government has issued regulations to restrict tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS) across the country, but a lack of human and financial resources hinder its implementation at the federal level.

A senior official at the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination who wished not to be named said this is the first legislation on tobacco control in the country after the devolution of the Ministry of Health under the 18th Amendment.



The official said according to the new guidelines no tobacco advertisement shall be allowed in the print media or in any printed publication, in cinema or theatres including mobile or mini cinema, on television, radio, cable TV or closed circuit TV network, through the depiction of a human or animal image or silhouette, through branding on clothes, garments, caps, posters, banners, plastic bags, material affixed outside a shop, kiosk, mobile trolley and fixed or mobile home billboard.

Pakistan was under an obligation to impose a comprehensive ban on TAPS by 2009 according to Article 13 of The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) but so far there a comprehensive ban has not been imposed, said the official.

“The delay has caused a major setback in its efforts to discourage people especially the youth from smoking. In the last two years there has been a massive rise in the violation of anti-tobacco laws,” said the official.

In 2003, a committee was constituted to formulate guidelines for the implementation of the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002 in the country. However, after the devolution of the health ministry the committee became non-functional. It was re-notified last year and it issued new guidelines in 2014.

Prior to the health ministry’s devolution, there were 11 government officials at the federal level who were working full-time for the effective implementation of anti-tobacco laws in the country. But there is not even a single official overlooking the matter now, nor is there a project funded by the government to implement tobacco control.

“The Bloomberg Initiative-funded programme is the only hope for the country to get funds for the implementation of anti-tobacco activities and we are anxiously waiting for the funds to be released under this project,” said the official.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2014.