Daily Times

Despite ban, vendors are still selling loose/open cigarettes and beedis of all tobacco companies around schools, making these products cheap and accessible to youth.

Already, 95.5 percent cigarettes are being sold loose/open in surroundings of the educational institutions across the country, revealed a report which was launched on Friday.

The report was conducted by Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) titled Big Tobacco – Tiny Targets in joint cooperation with Pakistan National Heart Association, Human Development Foundation (HDF) and FCC.

On the occasion, SPARC Executive Director Sajjad Cheema said prohibition of Smoking & Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance, 2002 includes measures to stop people from smoking in public, ban on access to tobacco products near educational institutes and restriction on sale of cigarettes to those who are under 18 years of age. But, he added, it has been reported that no complaint has been registered against the violators under this law.

In 2010, Statutory Regulatory Order was seen as a major stride forward in dissuading youth from tobacco use.

Azhar Salim from HDF shared that cultural and social habits are fascinating our youth. Tobacco companies are targeting the markets of minors and women to expand their future markets to strengthen their businesses.

Dr Mustafa Kamal Akbar highlighted the impact of smoking on human body and further suggested that lectures should be delivered in schools and colleges to sensitise and reduce smoking habits. He extended that media should play its role in advocating of anti-smoking.

Published in Daily Times, December 22^nd 2018.