Daily Times

General Secretary of the Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) Sana Ullah Ghumman said the government would raise taxes to prevent potential tobacco users and to discourage the increasing number of existing consumers. The imposition of a tobacco tax is an effective policy to prevent tobacco-related diseases and deaths in children and young people, he said in a news statement. Sana Ullah Ghumman, referring to a recent study published by PIDE, said that 60 percent of smokers start smoking during adolescence. Sana Ullah said, “One of the main reasons for smoking at an early age is the cheapness of cigarettes. Very few people start smoking in the 40s, when the price goes up, young people will not be able to smoke and will not like to go for cheap brands, it will prove to be an effective way to get rid of the young man’s smoking habit.” Studies show that very few of these consumers turn to cheaper products, with only 2.6 percent switching to different brands or other tobacco products in response to price increases. The current WHO-suggested excise tax threshold is 70 percent as the proportion of the retail price. Therefore, taxes should be increased at least to the extent that they have a significant impact on reducing cigarette use in Pakistan.