There is a need to enforce strict policies against selling tobacco to children, Experts
by Muhammad Zahir
Islamabad: Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC)
organized a Seminar on “World no tobacco day"
Mr.
Riaz Fatyana, Chairman Law and Justice Standing Committee said Prime
Minister Imran Khan has approved a plan to increase taxes on the cigarette
manufacturing industry in the upcoming budget for 2019-20 in a bid to enhance
revenue collection and discourage its use. He added Prime minister also gave
the go- ahead for imposing health tax of Rs.10 per pack of cigarette and
earnings from that would be used by the health ministry on welfare projects. He
further shared Prime minister Imran Khan also gave approval for rolling back
the third slab of federal excise duty introduced by the PML-N government, which
brought down the duty and led to a reduction of billions of rupees in revenue
collection. Mr. Riaz Fatyana added Prime Minister had taken the lead in the
initiative and stated that no one would be allowed to play with the health of
people.
Ms. Romina Khursheed Alam, Member
of National Assembly of Pakistan said Prime Minister Imran Khan raised the
question of child welfare in his first address after becoming premier; however,
the government is yet to tackle one of the threats to the welfare of children.
To start with, there is a need to enforce strict policies against selling
tobacco to children. Enforcement is the most crucial part. As it stands,
shopkeepers are not afraid of any checks and balances on which they sell
tobacco to. Moreover, there is a need to increase tax on tobacco products,
which discourages young people from smoking.
Mr. Malik Imran from Campaign for
Tobacco Free Kids, Pakistan office appreciated the Prime Minister Khan’s
decision for imposing health tax of Rs.10 per pack of
cigarette, approval for rolling back the third slab of federal excise duty
introduced by the last government and his commitment regarding health of people.
He further added the
tobacco industry has always portrayed high figures of illicit trade to
strengthen their business against tobacco control legislation and enforcement
of laws. Malik Imran said Government should be aware about obsolete arguments and
propaganda of tobacco industry and need to ignore these arguments.
Sajjad Ahmad Cheema Executive Director, SPARC
said that it is appreciable that the government has given a go-ahead to
introduce stringent reforms against tobacco-use. One will have to wait to see
whether action is actually taken. Around eight million people around the world
die each year due to tobacco smoking, while around 80 percent of the world’s
1.1 billion smokers suffer from cardiovascular and respiratory problems. An
estimated 1200 children take up smoking every day in Pakistan. Moreover, the
enforcement of strict health and safety practices in the tobacco cultivation
industry in Pakistan is also essential, where the incidence of nicotine
poisoning remains high. What is important is to build a successful campaign
that creates a consensus that discourages tobacco-use at source.
Colonel
(R) Azhar Saleem – CEO Human
Development Foundation (HDF) said Pakistan is the 8th largest
tobacco growing country in the world and produced about 116,016 tons of
tobacco. There is no provision in current law for estimating, monitoring and
regulating the contents of cigarettes. Furthermore, there is no laboratory
available in the country to monitor and evaluate the contents of cigarettes.
These cigarettes contain the significant levels of chemicals and nicotine, its
combustion in the presence of paper of cigarettes further increases its
hazards. Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, cause many
diseases and reduces the health of smokers in general. Cigarette smoking is the
leading preventable cause of death.
Mr. Rao Sarwar Munir, senior
journalist, Mr. Iftikhar Shirazi, Bureau Chief Dawn news TV, Mr. Arshad Waheed
Chaudhry, special correspondent geo news also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the
harms of tobacco use.
END