Civil society endorses comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising

Islamabad

Members of the civil society Tuesday supported the efforts of tobacco control advocates for legislation on comprehensive ban on Tobacco Advertisement, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS), and while expressing concern over the government’s lackluster efforts for implementation of the Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC), urged the Ministry of Health Services to expedite the passage of laws that are compliant to FCTC.

The occasion was a training session for civil society organisations, organised by TheNetwork for Consumer Protection to further strengthen the tobacco control constituency in the civil society and regulatory bodies. The participants included representatives of child and women rights organisations, those working on trade and nutrition and service delivery in the communities, and the Competition Commission of Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, project coordinator Dr. Maria briefed the participants about the health hazards of tobacco use, which will lead to 8 million deaths by 2030 if current smoking trends continue. “Smokers die 10 years earlier than non-smokers,” she said, before moving on to highlight the World Health Organisation’s protection strategy MPOWER (Monitor, Protect, Offer, Warn, Enforce and Raise), a policy package for protection of people from hazardous effects of tobacco.

Giving a rationale of the Model Law on TAPS, Dr. Maria said despite the existence of the December 31, 2013 SRO that calls for ban on tobacco product advertising at Point of Sale (POS), more than 77 per cent violations have been reported during a recent survey. Similarly, sale of cigarettes to underage boys is over 87.4 per cent. The government is yet to raise taxes on cigarettes as per requirements of the FCTC, of which Pakistan is a signatory, she said.

Earlier, the executive coordinator of TheNetwork Nadeem Iqbal said Pakistan made an international commitment for a comprehensive ban on TAPS while ratifying the FCTC in 2004-05 but the country is far from moving on it even after the passage of ten years.

Nadeem drew the participants’ attention towards a report of the State Bank, which reveals that Pakistanis smoked away Rs250 billion in cigarettes last year. Despite the Tobacco Control Law 2002 and a number of SROs issued by successive governments to control tobacco advertisement, the authorities seem helpless before the tobacco industry, which is using various tactics to counter the government as well as civil society’s efforts aimed at comprehensive ban on TAPS.

However, despite these disheartening facts and figures, there are a number of success stories too, said Nadeem. He mentioned Capital Administrative Development Division (CADD) initiative of ‘Smoke-free Islamabad’ which is yielding positive results. Another positive outcome is enforcement of tobacco control law in public places and vehicles and on the print and electronic media. Courts have also given some important decisions in recent past regarding ban of tobacco, he said while quoting a number of judgments.  Assistant project coordinator Laila Laghari briefed the audience on the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002.